Guardian Angel
by ImpactBlue131
Summary: The summer after the Trio's sixth year and everything seems to be coming apart. Enemies turn into allies and allies turn into enemies. Harry's confused, Hermione has no selfesteem, Ron's an idiot, sometimes a guardian angel needs to come and save the day.
1. Chapter 1: Bedtime Stories: Edited

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**Ok! This is the revamped version on the first chapter! I read it and noticed some typos. I also got a review that pointed out some of the names were wrong. I AM SOOOOO SORRY!! So anyways. Hope the edited version is better!**

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Song for this chapter... Anthem of Our Dying Day by Story of the Year

DISCLAIMER: See if I owned Harry Potter, there would be a lot more skin, cussing, and smut. As it is... I don't. J.K. Rowling owns all of the original characters in their sexy goodness. All characters introduced in this and the plot belong to me.

* * *

Two small children lay outside in a field looking up at the gigantic full moon. It was obvious to tell that the two were twins. The young boy and girl looked almost exactly like each other. They could not have been any older then 11, by the way that the still laid there holding each other's hand. It was dark out and the only light came from the moon above them. They were far away from home, but they were safe, at least for now.

"Have you ever though about what it's like to live like we do?" The young girl whispered dreamily to her brother.

"What do you mean?" He asked quietly turning his head to face her. The young girl continued to stare up at the moon.

"I mean to live in a world that almost everyone else believes to be a myth. Something to tell as fairy tales to babies as the lay in their beds at night begging to hear a story."

Her brother tilted his head slightly on the ground, but the young girl started to talk again.

"The lion and the unicorn were fighting for the crown." She started.

Her brother smiled quietly and finished the rest of the rhyme, "The lion beat the unicorn all around the town. Some gave them white bread, and some gave them brown. Some gave them plum cake and drummed them out of town."

The little girl smiled and a small giggle escaped her mouth.

The boy smiled in return, "Mother sings us that."

The girl nodded her head and looked up at the moon. "In Professor Binns class he taught us about how Bowman Wright and Mnemone Radford both wanted to be the magical ruler of Wales. He said that the lion went everywhere with Wright and Radford always rode on a unicorn. Eventually-"

"Their greed caused the people to force them to leave the country as a revolt was started." The little boy finished.

"Out of all of the myths and bedtime stories out there it's interesting to think that some of them might be true. Maybe even the ones that go beyond our world." The little girl turned her face towards her brother.

"What myth would you want to be true sis?" The little boy asked quietly.

"The one about the kitsune."

"A protector. Just like that one woman told us about." The little boy filled in.

The little girl nodded her head and turned to face her brother. Her chin wobbled a little as she whispered, "I'm scared."

She squeezed her brother's hand her eyes shinning brightly as she tried to stop herself from tearing. She kept talking.

"A protector. To protect you from getting hurt like you did when . . . when there was that a-attack on H-Hogwarts last year." She said quietly as crystal tears stared to roll down the side of her face. "I don't want you to leave me. Who would be there to fix how I hold my wand, or hold my hand when I have to walk in the dark and tell me that nothing was going to happen?"

The small boy offered his sister a sad smile as he remembered how pain had erupted all throughout his chest when he took the curse that was aimed for his sister. His heart had stopped, but Madam Pomfrey revived him luckily.

He raised their twined hands and brushed her tears away before he wrapped his small arm around her and pulled her to him in a hug. She clutched onto her brother's shirt tightly and tried to keep from full out sobbing.

"Why does a war have to be going on?" She asked in between ragged breaths.

"It's alright sis." He said quietly as he tried to calm her, "It's alright. I'm here now and nothings going to happen to you or me and everyone will be fine. No one will get hurt. It's gonna be alright."

The little girl nodded her head into her twin brother's chest. He continued rubbing his sisters back.

"It's going to be alright."

* * *

Have you ever had one of those days that just seemed to be destined to be horrible from the start? The type of days where the moment you wake up in the morning everything starts going wrong? Such as you wake up late and in your rush to get up you trip over your sheets and smack your head on the end table. Then as you go into the bathroom you find your hair in a horrible rats nest and don't have anytime to fix it. Or that your cat accidentally destroyed your favorite top, that the coffee in the coffee maker was burned, or that your fall out of bed happened to give you one of the most noticeable shiners ever to have graced the planet? Because this is Hermione's "day". Whoever that was in charge in wherever obviously had a grudge against Hermione because this day couldn't get worse in her opinion. Then again the powers that be seem to have a sense of humor because who would have ever thought that _thinking_ that a day couldn't get any worse would actually make everything show you how wrong you really were?

Hermione stepped out of the small coffee shop carrying her fresh steaming hot latte. It had rained the night before so Hermione was weaving in between the puddles trying to avoid getting her nice slacks wet. Just as she stepped up to the curb of the sidewalk in a busy part of London a lovely man decided to come flying around the corner to drive straight through the puddle right in front of the bushy haired witch. Of course Hermione jumped as she got sprayed with the freezing cold water and spilled her coffee all over her arm burning the delicate skin there.

"Agh!! Thank you!!" Hermione shouted after the car as it drove off.

Hermione looked down to examine her arm and saw that it was bright red and slightly blistered in some areas. Then she saw that her clothes were completely drenched with dirty water.

"Man, what an a ass hole." Came a voice from behind Hermione.

Hermione turned around and saw what should have been a supermodel. Dirty blonde and brown waves fell softly around the girls face accentuating her olive skin. She had high cheekbones and incredibly full lips, but that wasn't what caught Hermione's attention. The woman's eyes seemed to hold Hermione's focus. They were the oddest color of gold that Hermione had ever seemed. They constantly sparkled and seemed to move as if there was liquid gold within. The woman's eyes seemed brighter then anyone else's.

Hermione blinked a few times to focus her mind again and sighed.

"That's an understatement." Hermione replied lightly while she accepted the napkins that the woman offered her.

The woman laughed quietly and it struck Hermione how calming it sounded. Hermione found herself slowly relaxing from how high-strung she had been only a few minutes ago.

"Rough day?" The woman asked kindly.

Hermione sighed and slowly started blotting her clothes dry with the napkins, "More like rough month."

"Ouch." The woman replied with a small grimace. "Here, this coffee shop doesn't have a bathroom, which is horrible, but there is a little café across the street that does." Her voice was slightly deeper then most women's, but it definitely held a feminine air to it.

Hermione lifted her head to look across the street. There was a small café there with the doors open. After all it was a pretty warm summer day. Which made Hermione wonder why the water had been so cold. As Hermione looked at the café she felt a light pressure against her burn and a cooling sensation spread through her arm, but as she turned back the girl was standing there looking at the stoplight to see if she could walk across the street yet.

"This month _is_ horrible." Hermione muttered quietly.

Hermione had said it under her breath, but apparently the other woman heard her. She turned and gave Hermione an award-winning smile that caused Hermione to become speechless.

"It'll get better. After all, eventually something good has to happen." The woman replied before looking up and seeing the lovely walk sign. "You just have to wait for it."

The woman then walked across the street with perfect posture and slowly disappeared around another corner. Hermione sighed and then went to pick up her bag that she had dropped in all of the excitement. It was then that Hermione saw that her arm was no longer burned.

* * *

How long had the three of them been hauled up in the library?

_How long have we even been here?!. _

They didn't even know. Were they making any progress?

_How can there possibly be so many damned useless books?!_

Nope.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron had been in the library at Grimmauld place everyday since the start of break. Every. Single. Day. Hermione had decided to move to the table off to the side and had surrounded herself by books. One might be able to see her back there if they climbed up one of the stacks. Harry had taken to sitting on the ground in the middle of the library and had completely decimated the floor. To get to Harry without stepping on any of the books ones feet were three inches and their legs were three feet long. Ron had taken up residence on the couch and was currently eating an apple while looking down at Harry's mess.

"I don't even know why we are still trying." Ron sighed as he bit into his apple, "We're not going to find anything."

"Don't speak with your mouth full Ronald." Hermione's voice came from behind her piles.

"Like I would take manners lessons from you Hermione." Ron snapped out.

Hermione stiffened behind her books and thanked Merlin that neither of the boys could see her. She didn't want to admit it, but she liked Ron. A lot. Yet, ever since the beginning of the summer he had been cold and callous towards her. She sighed, it was probably just stress of having to do all of this research.

"I'm sorry." Hermione said quietly trying to keep the peace.

Ron grunted in return.

Once again Hermione sighed.

A knock resounded throughout the library and Mrs. Weasley's voice called through, "Dinner's ready."

Ron jumped off the couch and ran out the door slamming it behind him. Hermione un-buried herself and walked around the table and saw Harry leap over the last line of his books. Harry turned and gave her a small smile. Hermione returned it though it was more of a grimace then a smile.

"He's never handled research well. Don't mind him." Harry said quietly.

Hermione nodded with the same half-smile on her face.

They walked out and headed towards the kitchen.

* * *

"Hey Hermione?" Ron asked while they were all sitting around the kitchen table eating dinner.

Hermione smiled lightly as she turned to face her crush. Maybe he was finally going to flirt with her like he used to. The whole table had gone silent because of the way Ron had called her attention.

"Yes?"

"Could you move? You hair keeps on getting in my face and I'm trying to eat." Ron said simply.

The air around the kitchen immediately grew tense as everyone tried to stare at what they were eating and kept silent. A blush rose to Hermione embarrassed that she had thought Ron would flirt with her. After all she had "bushy hair". Hermione bit her lip and grabbed her bowl while she stood up.

"No problem. I was done anyway."

She walked into the kitchen and put her bowl in the sink and then walked out of the room into the hall. Even as she was walking she wasn't entirely sure why she hadn't snapped at Ron. Normally if he had said something even remotely rude it would have led to her reprimanding him, but now it seemed as if she didn't have the will power to do it. He sighed quietly as she walked to her room and shut the door softly behind her.

* * *

Moral #1: Don't hurt your friends.

Truth #1: Doesn't mean that they will do the same for you.

_How much does it take before a person cracks? What action is it that pushes them over the edge? What word is it that breaks the dam? What look causes a person's walls to collapse around them? What one moment is the cause of it all? How much can a person really take? _

Hermione ran. Her bushy hair whipping around into her face and kept blinding her, yet she kept running. She ran almost 8 blocks before she finally collapsed onto a curb.

She was 8 blocks away from Number 12 Grimmauld Place. She was 8 blocks away from the place that had been giving her shelter, 8 blocks away from the warmth of a complete and happy family, she was 8 blocks away from her best friend, but most importantly… she was 8 blocks away from _him_.

She couldn't even bring herself to even _think_ his name. She sniffed loudly. Everything had been falling apart since last year. Since Dumbledore had died. Harry, Hermione, and _him_ had come to Sirius's old house in search of any books or objects that might be helpful to identify, destroy, or find the horcruxes. Harry and her had been working non-stop since the summer started, but _he_ rarely did anything more then sit and watched them in boredom as they worked themselves into the ground. Every so often _he_ would decide to make some idiotic comment. Mainly because, he is an idiot. He had been different ever since the end of their sixth year. All of a sudden he seemed smug, pompous, arrogant, and egotistical. He had decided somewhere along the line that he was better then everyone else. He had started putting Hermione down all the time when Harry wasn't with her sometimes even when he was. She could deal with it normally, but today he had gone too far.

Hermione pulled her knees into her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs before burying her head in her arms. She wanted to cry. She could feel the burning sensation in the corners of her eyes but she kept blinking trying to keep her tears at bay.

In the distance she could hear a low growl of a motorcycle. It was a racing bike, she could tell by the sound. For some reason it was a comforting sound. Motorcycles were normal. She heard the sound of the engine was getting louder; it was coming in her direction. She heard the bike turn around the corner down the block from her. She glanced up, but she didn't lift her head, the person riding the bike was wearing a pair of camouflage loose pants, a black leather jacket that showed that this man wasn't wide, and a red helmet that had the visor tinted so dark you couldn't see the person's face.

A chocked sob escaped from Hermione causing her to quickly hide her face again. She reminded herself to just stay focused on trying not to cry.

The motorcyclist come to a stop and cut the engine so that the loud roar disappeared. Hermione's entire form tensed. As she deftly grabbed the wand that she had hidden up her sleeve. If this biker made any movement that she didn't like, he would be in the hospital for weeks.

"You know it's not a good idea for a girl to be sitting on a curb, crying. Especially in this area." The helmet muffled the voice, but it had a sweet sound to it. The one thing that bothered Hermione was that the voice was too high for a normal boy. Hermione lifted her head to look at the biker that stood in front of her and watched as they reached up to pull off their helmet. "I guess your day didn't get any better."

Hermione looked up and saw the same supermodel woman sitting on the bike in front of her. The girl put down the kickstand of her bike before swinging her leg over so that she could stand on the ground. While she turned back to Hermione she smiled her award winning smile and Hermione was once again almost speechless at how beautiful this woman was.

"You don't have to hold onto your wand like that, I'm not going to hurt you."

Hermione tilted her head in confusion before realizing what the girl had just told her. This girl knew she was a witch and she didn't seem to care. Hermione slowly released her wand and wound her arms back around her knees, but she still remained cautious.

"Why is it that you ran into me again?" Hermione asked with narrowed eyes.

"I always ride through this area on my bike. Maybe you are the one stalking me, ne?" The woman asked good-naturedly.

"Sorry." The woman laughed quietly and rubbed the back of her head, "I'm kind of butting in here, but you looked like you could really use someone that would listen. My name is Riley Brookes." She said sticking out her hand towards Hermione.

Hermione eyed it suspiciously for a second, but reached out to shake the offered hand.

"Hermione Granger." She replied, her voice cracking ever so slightly.

"Nice to meet you Hermione." Riley smiled again and motioned to the spot next to Hermione on the curb.

Hermione nodded her head and let the girl sit down next to her.

"You look a little sweaty. What made you run away for a while?"

Hermione hesitated for a second, but she couldn't help to feel like this Riley girl was safe. She also needed to talk to someone to get this weight off of her chest. She still hesitated.

"Ok, I'll ask you the question after I tell you about myself. Here." Riley reached her hand under her jacket sleeve and pulled out her wand, very slowly.

Hermione held out her wand and put it to Riley's throat. Yet Riley didn't seem phased, she merely grabbed the end of her own wand and turned it so that the handle was facing Hermione.

Hermione looked down at Riley's wand before glancing back up to Riley's face. She was perfectly calm and it seemed that happiness was rolling off of her in waves. Hermione reached for the proffered wand uncertainly, but gently lifted it from Riley's hand. Riley took her arm and rested it back on her knee and smiled at Hermione.

"See, now you don't have to worry about me trying to hex you or anything."

Hermione nodded her head and relaxed under the girls gaze and lowered her wand to her side.

"Well, I already told you my name. Right now, I live in Bristol, but I move pretty often. Safety reasons, you know." Riley said, while shrugging.

Hermione raised her eyebrow.

"Bristol? That's really far away from here. Why are you all the way out here?"

Riley smiled.

"Truthfully, I hate being cooped up. I love just being on my bike, or in my cars and just driving. I love the feel of freedom when everything is just flying past you. The way that your heart skips a beat every time you jump from 40 miles per hour to 90. The wind blowing in your hair just makes it all that much more real."

"You have an interesting accent." Hermione noted.

Riley's smile got wider.

"Yeah, I'm American, though I've lived in England for quite a while." Riley started chuckling, "My cars and bike are all from America. Admittedly, I'm not used to the speed limits over here. I always end up going over the speed limit. Though I have discovered that the police cars here don't move all that fast."

"You're bike's from America?" Hermione said glancing at it.

"Well… technically it's from Japan. Though I did buy it in America."

Hermione nodded and then looked up at the bike. It looked really familiar, almost as if she would have seen it on TV sometime or something. It was blue and black and the tail end reminded her almost of a horn because there was only room for one rider. There was A Japanese character painted on the side of the bike.

"What type of motorcycle is that?"

Riley turned her head and smirked at Hermione.

"You're not much of a motorcycle person are you?"

Hermione shook her head.

"My parents would kill me if I ever even thought about just riding one, let alone knowing anything about them."

Riley nodded her head and changed her smirk into a grin.

"Yea, parents tend to do that. This, my friend, this is a Suzuki Hayabusa GSXR1300r. The fastest bike you can legally buy. It's a bit heavy and it takes a bit of getting used to, but I've had enough experience so I can take turns fairly well. This is my favorite motorcycle of all time."

As soon as Riley said the word Hayabusa, Hermione remembered where she had heard of it before. It _was _the fastest bike you could buy "legally". Hermione had seen a news report about a car on motorcycle accident. The motorcycle had been a Hayabusa and the motorcyclist had been a bug splat on the road.

"Ho-How can you drive that. You could get killed."

Riley raised her eyebrow.

"You can get killed by sitting out here on the curb by yourself."

Hermione nodded her head in reluctance.

"Look, yea, you can get killed riding a motorcycle, you can also get killed by opening your door. If you're a safe driver and aren't driving 200mph down the freeway, then you aren't very likely to get in an accident too often."

Hermione smiled. To be moving that fast would be so exhilarating. Riley grinned.

"I know that even you would want to ride that bike. Anyways, you think you can tell me now about why you were sitting here on the curb crying?"

Hermione let her face turn towards the ground.

"I wasn't crying."

Riley shrugged.

"It's my friend. Well at least he _was_ my friend."

"Ah… I see. Let me guess, the guy said something about you being worthless, stupid, or naïve. Or he's just a flat out jerk."

"Yea, kind of. We've all been friends since we were 11, then at the end of this year he just… changed. We were making plans to stop a group of death eaters." Hermione paused and glanced side ways at Riley.

Riley noticed a quickly lifted her hands in the air and pushed the leather sleeves back to show unmarked forearms.

Hermione nodded and then continued on, "I had said that I could provide a distraction. I could start making them chase me or … seduce them. I don't know. It wasn't like I was actually saying I would, I was just rambling. Then all of a sudden R-Ron jumped up. He started laughing at me "What are you thinking?! You? Be the distraction?! Do you have a death wish, Hermione! My God, everyone says that I'm stupid one, when you're here saying that you'll basically be live bait! Bloody Hell! What makes you think that you would even be able to distract them?!" He was saying that I wasn't attractive, or sexual, or whatever it is to be able to get a guy. It wasn't just that. There has been too much tension just building up since the start of summer. My parents tried to forbid me from ever talking to my friends. Harry has been quiet lately. Then the one I got into an argument with had more of his stupid out breaks before that. But for some reason, I just couldn't take it anymore."

Hermione wrapped her arms over her head and let out a muffled scream into her knees.

"Ah, I'm being stupid, and over dramatic. This is pathetic. None of this really matters. It shouldn't hurt to just say his name."

Riley looked at Hermione with sympathy as the girl buried her head into her arms. Riley reached out and started rubbing Hermione's back.

"Look, hun. You're not pathetic. It was just "the straw that broke the camel's back". As for his name hurting you when you say it. That's easily fixed, we give him a nickname. How about we call him Baka. It means idiot in Japanese." Riley asked.

Hermione thought about it and for some reason when she pictured herself calling Ron, Baka, it was slightly fulfilling. She nodded her head and let a small smile break out onto her face. Riley smiled back.

"Well I honestly think that that this Ron kid is full of shit. I'm pretty sure that if you wanted to seduce a guy, you wouldn't find it that hard." Riley said nonchalantly, "You aren't being pathetic. This is one of your best friends so of course this Baka's opinion matters to you, but it sounds like he stepped over the line. If he treats you like that then you need to get away from that kid. He's pulling you down and it sounds like he's pulling your other friend down with you."

Hermione nodded her head. Riley made a lot of sense and she sounded nothing but sincere. Hermione started to let the tears leak. It hurt that her best friend would say something like that. Then as she replayed Riley's words in her head, she snapped her eyes open and turned to look at Riley. Hermione had just told her the names of her friends, she had just told her about Harry. If Riley was a death eater she could kidnap her and make Hermione tell her where he was.

Riley saw this and realized immediately what Hermione was thinking.

"Dude, calm down. I already knew that you were friends with Harry Potter when you told me your name. I really don't care about that."

Hermione's eyes got wide and then narrowed as she pointed her wand at Riley.

"Wait, how did you know? And what do you mean you don't care?"

Riley smiled softly.

"About two-three years ago, there was a lot of publicity around the triwizard tournament. Mr. Potter happened to be in the headlines quite often along with his "love interest" Hermione Granger. Now tell me, how many Hermione Grangers do you think there are, especially that look like you. Don't forget that the _lovely_ Rita Skeeter got a photo of the both of you two together." Certain words Riley said sounded extremely sarcastic and Hermione couldn't help but like Riley more because of her dislike for Rita Skeeter.

"Oh. I guess that's good. I don't know many people that have ever… well for lack of better words, not cared that he was the "boy-who-lived". Everyone is always obsessed that he's the one that has to save the world from Voldemort."

Riley tilted her head and smirked.

"Wow, I guess that Baka was way wrong. Pathetic people won't say Voldemort's name. Also, why would I put the pressure on him to "save the world"? Personally I think it's stupid that everyone would place their fate in the hands of someone they have never met."

Hermione nodded her head.

"That's a good point of view. Lots of people also want to be him, or because he's famous they want to be his friend so they can get famous."

Riley shrugged, "I'm sorry, but having your parents killed is a fucked up way to get famous."

Hermione smiled.

"Do all American's cuss as much as you?" Hermione chuckled.

Riley threw her head back and laughed loudly, "No not all American's cuss, but I do know quite a few people of all nationalities that cuss far more then I ever have."

Hermione laughed, "I think Harry would like you. It sounds like you're probably the only person that doesn't care about anything. He really needs someone like that."

Riley laughed, "Well everyone needs somebody."

Hermione smiled, but then slowly let the smile fade.

"Yea, everyone does need someone. I guess we just have to pick and choose, right?"

Riley stood up and reached down to help Hermione up. Hermione looked at Riley strangely before grabbing her hand and standing up. Riley stood up and waved her wand over the back end of her motorcycle. The part that looked like a horn transfigured into a helmet resting on the space for a second person.

"Look it's almost 5 o'clock. I'm going out tonight to have a little bit of semi-clean fun." Riley said while Hermione made a small snort, "I seriously think that you need a little bit of something normal and a break away from Baka. Do you want to come? I have clothes that you can change into, and I won't just leave you by yourself, also I can drive you back whenever. If you wanted to come back at the end of the night, or tomorrow, I wouldn't have any issues bringing you back here."

Hermione looked at Riley a bit cautiously. Hermione then glanced back over her shoulder before looking at the woman in front of her.

"I don't know. You seem like a trustworthy person, but I don't know if I can just leave for a couple of hours. I don't know, half of me is saying that I need to go and the other half is telling me that I can't just leave them alone."

Riley reached out and put her hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"You're a really good friend. It almost sounds as if this whole time, you have been putting them before yourself." Riley smiled her amazing smile. "It's cool if you don't want to come. Just get a break for you sometime. Call one of your girlfriends and go to a spa or something. Make sure that you come first occasionally too alright?" Riley smiled again and gave Hermione's shoulder a squeeze.

Riley reached over and grabbed her helmet and pushed it down onto her head while tucking in all of her hair. She then held her hand out. Hermione tilted her head before remembering that she had Riley's wand. Hermione quickly pulled out Riley's wand and laid it in Riley's hand. Riley nodded at Hermione in thanks.

"HERMIONE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Hermione spun around so her back was turned to Riley. She saw Harry and Ron running towards them. Hermione glanced over her shoulder at Riley and realized that, 1: Riley looked like a guy, and 2: Riley still had her wand in her hand.

"GET YOUR WAND OUT HERMIONE! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!" Ron shouted.

As Ron and Harry kept running, Ron whipped his wand out.

"Wait, Ron!" Hermione yelled, but it was too late there was already a stunning curse speeding towards them.

"_Finite Incantatum_." Riley whispered and the stunner disappeared.

Harry started pulling out his wand while Ron yelled, "_Reducto_!"

Riley pointed her wand at a near by mail box, "_Volo_."

The mailbox flew in front of the Reducto curse and shielded Hermione and Riley.

"_Immobulus_." Riley whispered causing Harry and Ron to freeze in their tracks. "_Expelliarmus_."

Both Harry and Ron's wands flew from their hands. Hermione felt like she should yell at Riley for casting spells on Harry and Ron, but she couldn't bring herself to.

"HERMIONE!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! GET OUT YOUR WAND AND STOP ACTING LIKE A COMPLETE IDIOT! THAT GUY IS PROBABLY SOME DEATH EATER! HE'S JUST GOING TO ATTACK YOU TO GET TO HARRY! YOU'RE FRATERNIZING WITH THE ENEMY!"

"Let me guess this is the Baka?" Riley whispered while Hermione subtly nodded her head.

"Ron shut-up. She's already angry at you don't make it worse!" Said Harry while watching Hermione talk to the man sitting on the motorcycle.

Hermione clenched her fists and closed her eyes. It was always "fraternizing with the enemy". Does he really think she's that stupid that she would give away information about Harry?

"I should probably get going huh?" Riley stated quietly, "Me being here is probably making matters worse."

"Hermione. Please. I'm sorry, I should never have let Ron say anything in the first place. It's all my fault, just please forgive us and come back. I don't want you to get hurt." Harry yelled to Hermione.

Hermione was surprised. Why was he apologizing? He hadn't done anything wrong.

"HERMIONE, BLOODY HELL!! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?! STOP ACTING LIKE SOME WORTHLESS GIRL AND DO SOMETHING!"

Hermione's entire body tensed. That was all she was to Ron. He didn't even think of her as his best friend. She was just some girl that was acting stupid.

Riley let out what sounded almost like a growl as she swung her leg over her motorcycle, "God I want to rip that kids throat out."

Riley reached back and grabbed the helmet. The helmet that currently hid Riley's face and hair turned to look at Hermione.

"HERMIONE FUCKING DO SOMETHING!"

Hermione glanced over her shoulder at Harry and Ron. She could see the pained look in Harry's eyes and the way that Ron looked at her in disgust. She couldn't take it. She reached out and took the helmet from Riley and jammed it onto her head before jumping onto the back of Riley's bike and wrapping her arms around the other girls waist to keep from falling off.

Riley's wand had been hidden away as soon as Hermione touched the helmet. Though with the absence of the wand that also meant that the spell holding Harry and Ron in place wore off.

Hermione saw Ron whip his wand around and point it at them. He was actually aiming at her too. Was he planning on hexing her?

She saw his mouth move and saw the magic gathering at the end of his wand. Just when she thought that she was doomed, Riley's bike shot foreword so fast that Hermione almost let go of Riley. The spell missed them with only a second to spare, Hermione could no longer see either Ron or Harry as they faded away into tiny black dots before disappearing.

* * *

**So what did you all think? Apparently poor Hermione's heart is broken, but why? Was it because she was in love with Ron? Or was it because one of her best friends betrayed her? And Ron? What's he got stuck up his a?**

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So this is the first chapter of Guardian Angel. Do you like? Do you hate? What needs to be changed? Should I completely stop writing this in general? Please give me input people!

Until later people!


	2. Chapter 2: Feathers and Blood

**RECAP!**

_She saw his mouth move and saw the magic gathering at the end of his wand. Just when she thought that she was doomed, Riley's bike shot foreword so fast that Hermione almost let go of Riley. The spell missed them with only a second to spare, Hermione could no longer see either Ron or Harry as they faded away into tiny black dots before disappearing. She let a few tears leak from her eyes. Ron really hadn't thought that he would be hurting her too. Or maybe he had and didn't care. She clenched her eyes shut and burried her head into the back of Riley's jacket. Maybe it was a good thing that she was leaving for a while._

Hermione loved the way her stomach lurched with every turn Riley made. At first she was kind of afraid because it seemed that they leaned so close to the ground, but now after only the fifth turn she loved it.

In her mind she was worried about Harry. She didn't know how he was going to take her leaving so suddenly.She decided that as soon as she got to Riley's house she would send him a letter to let him know that she was alright.

Riley knew that she was going well over the speed limit. Hermione didn't seem to notice because she had her face buried into the back of Riley's jacket and couldn't feel the substantial amount of wind. It was probably a good thing that she didn't see how fast they were going. 198 miles per hour would probably be enough to make Hermione pass out. Riley wasn't going to tell her that Ron and Harry were attempting to follow them on brooms. There was no possible way that Ron's comet could catch up with her Hayabusa, Riley even doubted that the firebolt could catch up to her. Mainly, there was the reason that the Hayabusa was the fastest motorcycle in the world, and also because she was a good driver. She knew how to push the limits and how to do things that would cause anyone chasing her to have to slow down, on the ground or in the sky. Simply put, Riley was talented. She wasn't being full of herself. Being what she was; she had to be talented in too many areas to count.

It wasn't just chance that Riley had met Hermione, but then again it wasn't exactly her choice either. Riley decided, that soon enough, Hermione would figure it out.

(Back At Number 12)

(A/N: Remember, Hermione is the only one that knows that Riley is a girl.)

"WHAT WERE YOU BLOODY THINKING RON?!" Yelled Harry.

They had just gotten back from trying to find Hermione. They had searched everywhere and tried every spell that they could think of to try and follow that motorcycle, but nothing worked. Harry had tried to contain himself, but soon Ron started mumbling under his breath and it had just pushed Harry over the edge.

Ron stood on the other side of the kitchen, leaning on the door with a sour look on his face.

"Me? What was _I_ thinking? WHAT WAS SHE THINKING?! SHE'S THE ONE THAT JUMPED ON THE BACK OF THAT GUY'S MOTORCYCLE!"

Harry pushed himself off of the wall he had been leaning against and leaned over the table.

"She was thinking that her best friend had just hurt her feelings and that she needed to get away!"

"SO? She's being stupid and overreacting! All of a sudden that gives her a good excuse to go off with some guy she doesn't even know?!"

Harry slammed his hand down on the table.

"She left because of you! If you had just been able to tell her that you're in love with her instead of biting her head off every time you see her, then none of this would have ever happened!"

"BLOODY HELL! I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH HER! Just because she can't take someone telling her that she's not perfect, it doesn't give her any right to just leave!"

Harry opened his mouth to say something when the door swung open. Tonks, Moody, Lupin, Dumbledore, McGonagal, and all of the Weaslys filed in while watching the two young men glare at each other. The air was crackling between the two teenage boys as they stood facing off.

Tonks decided to try and break the tension.

"So where's Hermione?"

"Off banging some arse on a motorcycle." Ron said while falling into a chair.

Mrs. Weasley's eyes got wide as she looked at her son.

"RON!"

"Like I said. She wouldn't have left if you hadn't been so stupid!"

"Oh piss off Harry!"

"Why don't you make me Ron!"

Ron stood up out of his chair so fast that he knocked it over. He and Harry started going towards each other before Moody jumped in between them and pushed them apart.

"CALM DOWN! WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR AND YOU TWO ARE GOING AT EACH OTHERS NECKS?!" Moody bellowed while he held Harry and Ron away from each other. "NOW WHERE IS SHE AND WHO IS SHE WITH?!"

Harry took a step back from Moody before allowing himself to fall into a chair.

"We don't know."

Lupin asked, "What do you mean you don't know?"

Harry sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"As in we didn't see who she went with because he had a full face helmet that was tinted and neither of us could keep up with his motorcycle."

Mr. Weasley's eyes lit up.

"A motorcycle did you say? Did you see how it worked?" He asked excitedly.

Molly hit Arthur over the head with her hand bag and Fred cut in before Harry could yell at Mr. Weasley.

"Wait if they were on a… motorcycle? Then they would be a muggle. Hermione can take care of herself."

Harry shook his head.

"No, he was a wizard, he made it so that we couldn't move while we were trying to get to Hermione. The spell only wore off after Hermione grabbed the helmet and they started taking off."

Harry shot a glare over at Ron. He remembered that spell that Ron had cast at them. Ron would have seriously hurt Hermione if the motorcycle hadn't moved as fast as it did.

"So he's a Wizard? Why was he on a motorcycle?" Lupin asked.

Harry shrugged and watched as Ron sat down in his chair and hung his head.

"Why would you chase after them on foot? Why didn't you cast a tracking spell on her?" Moody was slowly growing impatient.

Harry sighed and was about to reply, but Ron beat him to the punch.

"Do you really think we didn't use our brooms? You have to be within 40 meters of the person, but neither of us could catch up."

Everyone raised their eyebrows. If they both were on brooms that would mean Harry was on his Firebolt. Harry saw everyone's eyes turn towards him.

"Hey, don't look at me! There was no way that my broom can be faster then… whatever type of motorcycle it was that that guy was driving."

Moody snarled, "What do you mean that your broom couldn't have caught up? You have the fastest broom in the world!"

Harry's eyes narrowed.

"Well then, maybe muggles are better then wizards in speed. The fastest my broom can go is around 260 kilometers per hour. I'd know since I put that speedometer on it. That motorcycle, with the rider _and_ Hermione was going 370 kilometers per hour. That means that that bike was moving at about 6 kilometers per minute. My Firebolt was moving close to 4. Within half of a minute they were already a kilometer away from us. I've done the math since its relatively simple compared to what I've been doing all summer. There was no way that we could have caught up to Hermione."

Dumbledore sighed and finally spoke up.

"That would probably be the reason for the wizard riding a motorcycle. There's nothing we can do now except wait and hope for the best."

Everyone sighed and Harry slammed his hand down on the table again. His eyes shot open and he saw a letter that had not been there seconds before beneath his palm. He picked the letter up and almost immediately another letter appeared in its place. The letter in his hand was addressed to the Residents, while the other one was addressed to Harry and "Family". The handwriting on the second letter was easily recognizable as Hermione's. Harry quickly dropped the letter in his hand and grabbed the second one. He quickly tore it open and silently read it before looking up at everyone's expecting faces and reading aloud.

"Dear Harry and anyone else at Grimauld Place,

I'm sorry that I left so suddenly. I can barely think straight any more and my nerves have been fried to the point where I couldn't keep myself from jumping even as I turned on the water for a shower. Harry, I hope that you aren't angry at me. I'm not deserting you and I'll be back tomorrow sometime. Don't expect me too early though; I have a feeling that it's going to be a long night. Harry, you need a break too. Please, go out and play a game of Quiditch or just lay down and relax, you need a break more then anyone. Ron, no hard feelings, at least not anymore, I can only guess that your stressed. That person you saw me leave with is helping me let go of everything, if only for tonight. I know that when I come back everything will be just as bad, if not worse. Though at least there will have been some normalcy in the world. Once again, I'm sorry for any worry or trouble I've caused for anyone, but please don't worry about me. I'm a big girl and have had my fair share of fights. I can take care of myself. I will see you all tomorrow.

With Love,

Hermione"

Harry sighed before folding the letter back up and looking at everyone.

"At least it sounds like she's safe. She's got a point about the fights too." He said.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"See, she is off shagging some guy she doesn't even know." Ron said smugly.

Harry glared at Ron and replied, "Sod off Ron!"

Ron just glared at Harry, but kept silent.

Now the only question left was who was the next letter from. Harry reached out and picked it up. He slowly slid the smooth envelope through his hands and turned it over to the back. There was no address or the name of the person that sent it. He carefully slid his finger underneath the top of the envelope and then removed the letter. It had bold handwriting that was fairly asexual. He looked at it while slowly opening it and then began reading aloud again.

"Dear Residents,

Hermione's safe. I'm not sorry if any of you worried about her. You should have done that _before_ she broke. She's going to be staying at my house tonight; just from talking to her I can tell she needs the escape, most probably… lots of alcohol too. Broken hearts tend to make you have to do that. Funny thing is that it was just a friend that broke her heart. From what I saw of the both of you while you were running at us, I would have to say the same goes for the two of you too. Not so much of an escape physically, but away from each other… maybe even reality. Anyways, right now you don't know my name and I don't know most of yours. We should probably keep it this way, at least for now. Whoever the red head is, it's a wise choice to already have your wand out if you're going to charge head on and attack someone. It's stupid to let an enemy have the opportunity to kill you while your defenseless. If you try to attack me or your 'best friend' again, I'll do much worse things then freeze you in place. Like I said, Hermione is safe. I'll bring her back tomorrow, most likely it will be at least afternoon. Oh, and next time you decide to chase after someone, make sure that you can at least keep them in sight."

The letter ended without saying who it was from. Just like they had said.

Harry sighed and pushed his hand through his hair again.

"You didn't even have your wand out when you were running straight at them?!" Moody growled out as he smacked Ron across the back of his head.

Ron just growled in response.

"He's going to get Hermione drunk?!" Mrs. Weasley cried out after finally remembering how to talk again.

Mr. Weasley patted her on the back, "Calm down Molly. Hermione is of age and she is a responsible girl. I'm sure she won't let whoever this man is take advantage of her."

"Who said he would be taking advantage of her?"

Everyone turned their attention to Tonks.

She looked around them and sighed, "Look, if none of you have noticed, that girl has been stretched too far lately. Even that man noticed it, when he said that she was broken. We've all been to involved with our own problems that we have been ignoring what we are doing to everyone else. Hermione was just the first to snap. She went with him on her own free will. Maybe it was a mistake, but in all probability, it won't be her last that she makes tonight. All we can do is wait for her to come back."

Everyone sighed.

"Nymphadora is right." Said Dumbledore, "We've all made bad choices lately, but there is nothing we can do to bring Ms. Granger back sooner. We will just have to wait, and when she does return we'll see if we can talk to this man that she is with."

Harry and Ron smiled enjoying the thoughts going through their heads of what would happen when they "talked" to this man later.

(7 p.m.)

The sun had just started to set over Bristol. Being light outside longer was only one of the advantages of summer that Hermione loved. The sunset cast gold and pink hues in through the window that Hermione had taken residence upon. Soft sounds of the street below filtered in through a small crack at the bottom of the glass. It was a peaceful and bright place that Hermione felt as if she could escape the world for an eternity.

The room behind her was large and spacious though not empty and uninviting. There was a huge king sized bed with an end table on either side centered on the golden wall to the left of the oak door. The down bed was almost entirely white with leaves and patterns stitched in a bright gold. There were French doors that led out to the balcony just to the left of Hermione's window and a door on the other side of the window that led into a grand marble bathroom.

It was the epitome of extravagance and class, yet it was still personal enough to be comfortable. There was a very warn out teddy bear sitting next to a picture frame of Riley standing next to an incredibly gorgeous man. They were smiling and hugging each other like it was the last hug they would ever get. It was a cute picture if nothing else. There was a twine necklace hanging on the side of the picture frame. The same necklace that the man wore in the picture. A lover's gift Hermione assumed. On the other end table there was a vase that was filled with a stem of cherry blossoms.

It had taken Hermione by surprise when she had seen and smelled the beautiful flowers. Those cherry blossoms only bloomed for about 10 days in March or April. She had almost immediately questioned Riley, how they were still alive in late June. The reply she had gotten had only served to confuse her more then ever.

"Angel feathers can do amazing things." Riley had said with a mysterious sparkle in her eyes. Upon seeing the curious look in Hermione's eyes she laughed and waved a hand above her head.

"You are a very clever girl Hermione. I'm sure that you will figure it out soon enough."

A soft breeze blew through the open French doors and detached one of the stunning blossoms and carried it back out through the door.

Riley let a small smile grace her lips as she watched the blossom float away on the peaceful breeze.

"But no matter how strong the magic, or how good the intent, nothing lasts forever."

Riley had turned her back and walked out of the room and left Hermione alone.

Hermione had decided that Riley had an odd sort of personality. She was incredibly rational and seemed to be overly observant. Two personality traits that seemed to be missing from Hermione's life recently. In many ways it seemed as if Riley had many secrets that she left out in the open for anyone to know. For some reason it made those secrets that much harder to figure out. She was completely honest and had a very assertive personality. It was a nice change from her two boys.

Riley came back after only a couple of minutes with a pile of clothes in her arms. She laid the outfit on the bed and smiled at Hermione. There was a pair or cargo khaki Capri pants, a black tank top, and a thin white-off-the-shoulder tee shirt. Hermione raised her eyebrows at Riley and shook her head.

"Isn't that a bit too…" She drifted off.

Riley laughed, "My gosh Hermione! You will barely be showing ANY skin in that. It's not slutty, or too reveling. Try it on, see what you think of it then."

Hermione looked a little hesitant.

"I don't-"

"No. Stop with the I don't know. Do you know that when I offered to let you come with me you said 'I don't know' at least three times? I can already tell that you don't know, but you won't know until you try." Riley said with an even voice and a comforting voice.

A sigh escaped Hermione's lips once more. She had been sighing far to often lately. Hermione reached down and grabbed the garments and headed towards the bathroom. The mirror was left unnoticed as she got dressed. She had gone with Riley to get away, to leave herself behind. She wasn't going to ruin it by being self-conscious.

As she stepped out of the bathroom, Riley grinned at her.

"Perfect. Now for your hair and eyes." Riley said while twirling her wand around her fingers with a mischievous grin on her face.

Hermione hesitantly backed up with each step that Riley took. With a flick of Riley's wand the bathroom door closed with an almost inaudible click.

Two hours later Hermione and Riley arrived at a small back street club in Riley's 1965 Mustang Fastback. It was a beautiful car. Hermione had let her jaw drop when she saw all of the cars in Riley's garage. It wasn't often that she got to see so many nice cars in one person's possession. A thought crossed Hermione's mind of what Malfoy's garage would look like if he owned cars.

Riley tossed the valet her keys and sent him a seductive wink.

"Don't lose her." She said as she hooked her arm through Hermione's and walked straight in to the club without even stopping by the bouncer.

Hermione was amazed. It was just a muggle club, but it was the coolest place that she had ever been to. There was a bar off to the left and a few high tables for people to relax at if they weren't out on the huge dance floor in the middle of the room. The people out on the dance floor were dancing in time to the music and pressed against each other without a care in the world. It was exactly what Hermione had wanted. The spot lights moved around through the crowd at a fast pace and never stopped on any of the people, but just added to the overall effect. It was dim throughout the club, but it was still easy to see. Hermione could already feel the energy coming off of all the people crashing against her like waves.

She looked over to see Riley grinning at her. Her gold eyes that were rimmed in black seemed to be glowing as she flipped her long waves over her shoulder. She had to admit, Riley was great at makeup and hair.

When Hermione had first looked in the mirror after Riley had finished, she was shocked. She had smoky brown eyes and pink lip gloss that complimented her natural color. She had been thoroughly bronzed and sparkled and she shimmered in less light. She was amazed. She wasn't wearing that much makeup, but it brought more attention to her natural beauty. It was amazing.

Hermione turned to look back at the dance floor and people. It was only then that she realized that there were guys staring at her all across the room. She tried to discretely edge herself behind Riley in order to hide, but was quickly stopped by a tan arm that wrapped around her waist.

Hermione looked up and saw Riley smiling at her.

"Oh no. You are _not_ going to hide that beautiful person of yours behind me. They're staring at you because they think you're hott, so work it."

Hermione looked back at the people and noticed that they weren't looking at her in disgust. It helped make her a little more comfortable. She turned and looked at Riley and put on a big smile.

"Well… shall we?" Hermione said with more confidence in her voice then ever as she wrapped her arm around Riley's waist in return.

They both laughed and walked into the dance floor just as the song Goodies came on. Riley started dancing and pulling Hermione along with her until Hermione eventually fell into her own rhythm. Hermione looked around and noticed that her and Riley dancing together had gathered quite the crowd. She had never felt so attractive or sexy. Riley looked over at her and they shared a secret wink. It was then that Hermione knew she had made the right choice.

Hermione laughed a full real laugh. She hadn't felt this good for a long time. She and Riley had gotten back to the house around 3 in the morning after dancing the night away. They hadn't even gone to sleep, but Hermione felt wide awake.

It was 12 in the afternoon and they were almost at Grimauld Place. Hermione was once again sitting behind Riley on her motorcycle. She couldn't help but feel a little sad that she had to go back. She had been so happy just being a teenager and having fun.

"I wonder what's going to happen when I get back." Hermione said somberly. Riley heard her thanks to a charm that they had placed on the bike helmets.

"Who knows. They will probably scold you for taking off, the Baka will be angry at you, Harry might be too, but at least you are farther away from losing your sanity." Riley said simply.

Hermione laughed, "I have no idea why that seems funny to me. Maybe I already am insane."

Riley glanced over her shoulder and shook her head.

"It's probably funny because you are thinking about all the fun you had and how you wouldn't take it back even if you could."

Hermione nodded her head, "Yea probably." She looked down at the motorcycle underneath her and tilted her head to the side. "I have been meaning to ask you Riley."

"Hm?"

"Where did you get all those motorcycles, cars, and well… money to pay for everything. If that isn't rude of me to ask."

Riley laughed, "Of course it's not rude of you to ask. I have had that house for a really long time actually. So, whenever I got a new bike, or car, I would store it there while I went away. There are a few house elves that come and clean it, though they aren't mine. Just some from random magical families that decided to help me out. I sometimes cook for them."

Riley went silent for a moment as she shifted gears on the motorcycle and took a really sharp turn.

"As for the money… I've been working for a long time and things are cheaper the earlier you buy it so…"

Riley was two blocks away from where she was going to be dropping Hermione off. They had sent a letter ahead to tell the order of when they would most likely get there so that they wouldn't be worried.

Riley slowed her motorcycle down because of the residential area and continued down the road at a slow pace.

"There are people hiding in the bushes and all around where I am going to drop you off Hermione." Riley said carefully.

Hermione leaned away from Riley's back so that she could look around. She couldn't see anything.

"Most of them are using a disillusionment charm. There is one man with an electric blue glass eye, a bunch of people with red hair, an old man with a long white beard, and a bunch more." Riley said. They were almost there.

"Oh. It's just the people that I left the other day. We'll be fine."

Riley glanced back at Hermione again.

"Are you sure?"

With a confused look Hermione said, "Of course. Why wouldn't we be?"

Riley just shrugged as she pulled up next to the stop sign and cut the engine while putting the kickstand down. She reached her hand back and helped Hermione get off of the large bike and turned around to look at her. As Hermione pulled off her helmet and handed it to Riley, she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

Riley must of felt it too, because quicker then Hermione could see, Riley was off the bike and was pushing Hermione down to the ground from the other side of the bike while blocking a spell.

Quickly, Riley moved to the other side of the street trying to pull the fight away from where Hermione was. When Hermione caught herself she had slid her foot under the bike and gotten stuck.

"_Stupefy_!" Someone yelled from a bush.

Riley leaned back and avoided the spell skillfully while sending a stunning spell right into the person's chest. Hermione had never seen anyone duel as gracefully as Riley was.

Hermione screamed out, "STOP IT!" But was ignored as more and more spells were sent in Riley's direction.

Fred, George, and Mr. Weasley all jumped out from behind a bush and sent stunners straight towards Riley's chest. Hermione let out a blood curdling scream when she thought that Riley had been hit. Riley looked to be stunned until Hermione saw the flick of her wrist and the whispered _"impendimenta"_ that sent the three red heads flying backwards. There was a cry of outrage coming from somewhere by the street lamp and suddenly Ron appeared out of nowhere.

'Harry's invisibility cloak!' Hermione thought as she watched Ron make a slashing motion with his wand and yell out _"SECTUMSEMPRA!" _

Riley's head whipped around as she heard the curse and rolled out of the way. Hermione let out a sigh when she saw that Riley had avoided the deadly curse. Her thankfulness however, was short lived as she watched the curse rebound off of a trashcan and head straight for her.

Hermione reached to pull out her wand and panicked. She didn't have her wand.

"RILEY!"

Riley spun around and ignored the stupefy spell that almost hit her. She saw the curse speeding towards Hermione and in a second Riley had disappeared.

Hermione shut her eyes and covered her head with her arms in a pointless attempt to protect herself. She waited for the pain, but nothing came. The entire street had gone silent. Hermione slowly lowered her arms and opened her eyes to be greeted with a motorcycle helmet in front of her. Cracks seemed to multiply until eventually the helmet broke and fell off reveling a mass of blonde tresses.

Riley was kneeling in front of Hermione and offering her a comforting smile. Her wand had been left forgotten in the middle of the street and as she rose it was the scariest thing Hermione had ever seen. There was no grimace of pain, or whimper that escaped from her full lips, but there was a fire in her gold eyes that made them look like molten metal.

Everyone watched in frightened fascination as the woman stood up with blood streaming down her back. As she straightened her posture she kept her head tilted down so that her long hair hid her face from everyone even Hermione.

Riley gracefully raised her left arm towards Ron while letting her hand fall to the pull of gravity. No one moved, not even Ron, as they watched the young woman. Suddenly, Riley flicked her wrist and Ron went flying up into the air and slammed into the street lamp and fell down limply to the ground.

Riley lowered her arm and slowly took off her jacket. Still no one moved even as they watched the muscles in her back begin to flex and strain. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion. The jacket slowly came undone and slid off of Riley's smooth shoulders revealing the white tank top underneath that was stained crimson. Just as the jacket hit the pavement two vast white wings erupted from in between her shoulder blades. The torn skin quickly knitted itself back together without so much as a scar.

Riley kneeled down and helped Hermione free herself from underneath the motorcycle.

"So… I'm assuming that you should know what I am by now." Riley said with a small smile on her face as her wings quickly disappeared.

Hermione was stunned.

"Yo-You're… a… a guardian angel!"

**YES I KNOW THAT DUMBLEDORE DIED IN THE 6TH BOOK! Don't tell me There is a reason that he is alive and you will just have to wait and see what it is.**

So Hermione came back and Riley's a Guardian Angel. What's that mean? For the people that aren't religious, this has no religious beliefs in it. It's just a Guardian Angel, a magical being like a wizard or witch. So please don't stop reading this just because you don't believe in a certain religion because like I said THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RELIGION! I definitely don't want to deal with that can of worms.

So, please review. I take flames. I just really need to know what you all think! Hope that you all have a good weekend! Later!


	3. Chapter 3: Tents and Threats

**A/N!!!! I'm so sorry this is so late! I just finished out the school year and everything so I was ubber busy.**

Then I had a huge writers block on this part. I know what I need to happen in the story. It was just figuring out how to get there. So, I'll admit that this is probably a horrible chapter, don't kill me!

Oh, You can play the song Enter the Circus by Christina Aguilera for this chapter. The music definitely fits one part of this chapter really well. Enjoy!

"I believe you owe us an explanation Ms. Brooks."

The mocking laugh echoed through the room.

"I don't owe you anything old man."

"DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO MISSY? THIS IS AL-"

"I couldn't care less who he is."

"Albus, I don't think we are going to get anything out of this… girl. Why don't we let Moody interrogate her?"

"I'd be happy too. Maybe I can teach this girl some manners."

Riley Brooks sat in the middle of a dark and cold room in the Noble House of Black. If she could, she wouldn't even be in there, but seeing as they had tied her to a chair she didn't have much choice. They? They are Albus Dumbledore, Mad-Eye Moody, and a woman named Tonks, and a red head that Riley didn't know the name of.

Her laugh erupted from her throat and echoed around like music, even if it was because she was laughing at them.

"You? Teach me manners? I am not the one holding anyone prisoner for delivering one of your friends safely, and if I may remind you, saving her from what would have been excruciating pain."

"You think you know pain little missy?! I can show you pain." Moody cried out.

"And I can show you things that would make even Voldemort cry out for his mother. But to what point would it serve? What reason would you have for causing me pain? You say I owe you, but I have done nothing to you, nor have you done anything for me. Where are you saying that my debt is originating from?"

"What about my son Ron, you vile creature! Look at what you did to him!"

With a tilt of her head, Riley faced the plump red head and raised an eyebrow.

"Since you weren't actually there, maybe no one informed you of that situation completely. Your _lovely_ boy cast the Sectumsempra curse at me, however he missed and the curse ricochet off of a trash can and headed straight for Hermione. Your son is only unconscious and might have a slight concussion. Trust me, I could have done a lot worse with the same amount of effort." Riley's voice had lost all of the joking tone that it had had before.

"I don't know about you, but I tend to frown on people that risk killing their best friends in order to hurt someone that is near to them."

The room was silent and Riley just glared at everyone that was standing around her. Riley felt the urge to break her bonds, yet she was fairly positive that that would frowned upon. She didn't really care if they didn't like her, but burning possibly useful bridges would always be a bad idea.

"I have an idea. Why don't you ask me specific questions instead of just telling me to tell you everything about my life." Riley said with a mocking grin on her face. She wasn't necessarily burning bridges, just not helping the building of it. She felt fairly strongly that all of these people were idiots anyways.

Once again another moment of silence passed as Riley let her head fall back while releasing an annoyed sigh. Apparently idiots also had problems making choices quickly.

"I think that would be for the best Albus." Said the uptight red head woman.

The old wizard slowly nodded his head and conjured himself a comfy chintz chair and sat himself directly in front of Riley. Her eye started twitching.

"Ms. Brooks. Why were you in this area in the first place yesterday? Ms. Granger informed us that you live in Bristol. That's a long way to drive."

Riley sighed, "I was just riding on my motorcycle and this is where I ended up. It's an escape basically."

The suspicions of this new girl immediately shot through the roof. 2 hours is a long drive just to get away. Then again it wasn't anywhere near a two hour drive with how fast she was going.

"I see. Why would you ride a motorcycle?"

Riley shrugged her shoulders, "It is more fun then magical means of transportation. Though I don't see why you would need to know that."

"Why would you take Granger, girl, if you are not a death eater?" Moody jumped in on the interrogation.

"What makes you think that I took her?" Riley said simply looking in Mad-Eye's direction.

Moody started to grumble under his breath and Riley distinctly heard the words, 'went with her'.

"If she wasn't sitting on a street corner balling because of one of her best friends, then I wouldn't have stopped. As it is, she was and I did. It's not my fault that the people who call themselves her friends, or teachers, or family were completely oblivious to her turmoil." Riley said with a tone of mockery in her voice.

"Don't talk to us, like we don't care about her! We love Hermione as if she was our own daughter." Molly piped up from the back of the room.

"Oh my mistake. How could I have not noticed that you loved her? Especially after you let her live in such misery for over a month. I must be blind." Riley said sarcastically.

"WHY you little-"

"Molly please, calm yourself." Tonks said while putting her hands on the plump woman's shoulders. Riley raised her eyebrows at the two as if taunting them.

She focused her attention back on the headmaster and tilted her head to the side.

"What no more questions?" She asked.

"What did you do with Miss Granger?"

Riley cocked an eyebrow.

"I took her to my house, had a hot make-out session that started on the stairs and made it all the way into the bed room- what the hell is wrong with all of you?!" Riley said as she watched all of them pale. "I've known Hermione for all of 20 hours, maybe, and _I_ know that she wouldn't ever do anything like that. My gosh, do any of you even know the girl?"

The resounding sound of skin hitting skin echoed through the now silent room. Riley had her head turned and started laughing.

"Finally? The real people come out. I was starting to wonder if all of you were all bark and no bite." Riley said as she looked up at the scarred man that smacked her. "Then again, you would know all about a bite to match you bark, you must be Lupin. Hermione said that you were the best DADA teach, she ever had. At least I know that someone in this retched house cares about her and her dignity."

Lupin looked down at the girl in shock. The things she had said made him slightly suspicious. He had just gotten there as Dumbledore started to question her. This girl was horrible. She was sarcastic and rude and then what she had said about Hermione. He couldn't believe that he had hit her. And then for her to not be angry about it, but almost relieved, maybe the girl needed medication.

"I don't need medication wolf." Riley spat out.

How did she know what he was thinking? The room went silent and Lupin almost recoiled.

"I-I can't believe she would-"

"And here I thought you were smarter then everyone else." Riley said, "Do you really think that she would tell your secret. I'm not a dumb person and I am entirely capable of figuring that out on my own. The full moon was two nights ago, you look sickly pale, have new cuts on your body that are almost already scarred, you can't stand up straight because your back is sore from going through the transformation, and you wreak of dirt, bark, blood, and sweat. All lovely indicators of being a werewolf that are completely out of your control. Then there is the fact that you are almost painfully self-conscious right now, a common trait among werewolves because they are afraid of what people will think of them. You're afraid that people will judge you based on superstitions and lies, even though none of it is your fault. You make it glaringly obvious that you were bitten."

A breath escaped Lupin's cracked lips. He hadn't even realized that he had been holding it. This girl was odd. One minute she is being rude and arrogant, and the next she is understanding and non-judgmental. She offered him a kind look and then focused back on Dumbledore once again. For a moment Lupin felt something stir in the pit of his stomach waiting to lash out. There was something wrong with this girl.

"You can go on with your questioning now." Riley said simply.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" Lupin asked quickly, before Dumbledore could jump in on the questioning.

"You all broadcast what you are thinking. None of you are skilled at interrogation, therefore none of you know how to mask your faces. What you all appear to think is an emotionless face still gives me enough information to get the general idea of what you are thinking."

Riley tilted her head to the side and smirked.

"By making your faces emotionless, you tell people more then if you looked like a psychotic maniac. If you looked like a psychotic maniac I might think that you were willing to hurt me. Not only would you hurt me, but you'd get off on it too. There is no point in me telling you anything that I don't find the need to because I know that none of you would truthfully do anything to get it out of me."

She looked around at each and every face before focusing back on Lupin.

"You don't enjoy it enough." She said while licking her lips, "By not enjoying it, you would only do what you deem is necessary. And what is necessary is no where near painful enough."

Silence once again reined in the room and Riley's smile seemed to be that much more taunting. She was right and they were wrong.

"You still haven't answered my question." Dumbledore said.

"Right. We went to a club danced the night away, ate breakfast, cleaned up, walked around town for a while and then came over here." Riley said vaguely, no point in giving people useless details.

"Ok then, how did you appear in front of Hermione so quickly?"

Riley tilted her head and raised her eyebrow.

"I ran."

"What are you talking about girl? No one can move fast enough that my eye can't catch it!"

"Apparently I can Moody, because I_ was_ running."

"I see that this question isn't going to get any answers-"

"You did get an answer you just didn't like it."

"So how about, how you healed your back so quickly?" Dumbledore asked.

"Magic." Riley said while wiggling her eyebrows.

"We all know that Miss Brooks."

"Then why are you asking?"

"I think it had something to do with her wings?" Said a small voice.

Hermione had somehow slipped into the room and was standing in the back.

"Wings?" McGonagall asked, "What wings?"

Hermione looked confused for a second.

"The wings that came out of her back."

For a moment her only reply was confused stares.

"Did you hit your head Hermione? Riley didn't have wings coming out of her back." Tonks asked worriedly.

Hermione looked around left to right.

"Yes, yes she did! I saw it!"

With a quick glance at Riley she got her answer. Riley shrugged her shoulders and offered a consoling smile.

"Hermione, I think you should go get your head checked out by a medic." Molly said.

Everyone turned their heads and glared at Riley.

"What" She said annoyed, "I didn't do anything."

"LIKE HELL YOU DIDN'T!"

"Are you incapable of speaking at a normal volume?" Riley asked Moody with a twitch in her eye. "Now are you going to let me go or not?"

"You are not leaving this house."

"Molly, can you lead Hermione outside?" Dumbledore asked.

Without any hesitation she grabbed the young witches arm and pushed her outside. She didn't know why Hermione needed to leave, but she wasn't going to risk it.

Riley turned her head to look at the werewolf.

"And what is going to stop me?"

"Me." Lupin said simply.

Riley laughed and each of them heard the straining of the ropes as her stomach contracted.

"You? No offence _wolfy_." The word past her lips mockingly. "But you're weak. You would be nothing more then an annoying fly to me."

"I have to disagree. You don't have a wand. I do."

Riley smirked. It made a shiver run down his spin and he could feel everyone else in the room do the same thing. It was the type of reaction that only He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named received. There was something very wrong with this girl and it seemed to be getting even worse.

"I believe that I have already demonstrated that I don't need a wand."

"I'm sure that that was an uncontrolled circumstance. The same happens to others when wizards or witches loose their tempers." Dumbledore stated.

"Ding Ding Ding! Correct, and what is the prize for our lovely headmaster in all his knowledge?" Riley's voice had changed and almost sounded like she was talking in a stadium. "Why, it is a demonstration of course!"

Suddenly the room that they were all standing in spun like a top. Colors whirled by and the gray of the room faded into bright reds, yellows, purples and blues. As quickly as the spinning had started it stopped and almost everyone was knocked off balance and for a few seconds they couldn't see. Music started playing in the background softly. The organ started and continued with the same melody when a trumpet sounded out. Riley's voice rang out as she sang the melody with the piano. It seemed muffled by something, yet was more eerie then it should have been. It echoed and each of them could feel her voice vibrating against their rib cages. Each of their hearts jumped and missed a beat as she stopped singing for a second.

The room shifted into focus and each of them looked around to find themselves alone in a small curtained room that had red velvet hanging on each side. Each curtain billowed in a breeze that none of them could feel. They pulled back the heavy fabric only to be greeted by a red brick wall that reached up so far that they couldn't see the top.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls. Do you want to be entertained?" Riley's voice rang out lower then normal. "I know I do."

Something rustled in each of the curtains and every person spun around only to find that there was nothing there.

"Boo."

Riley's face appeared on the curtain behind each of them and forced them back into what they thought was a solid brick wall. Though each of them fell through to find themselves standing on the floor in a circus tent. A big, red, circus tent, full of flamethrowers, stunt girls, trapeze acts, gymnasts, and knife throwers. It seemed chaos as each of them was approached by one of the many performers. For some reason though, none of the acts touched them… yet.

"Is it true what they say? Is it all just fun and games? Or is there more behind your fearless masks?" Riley's voice cried out above all of them.

Each of the Order's heads snapped up to look at the woman standing in the air, more specifically, on a quarter inch metal wire. She was Riley, though she looked nothing like the girl that had been tied to a chair back in Grimmauld place. Her once blonde hair was now dark brown and in cornrows that brought all of her hair to the left side of her face. Her eyes seemed even brighter gold while being rimmed in black and purple while contrasting her blood red lips. She wore a faded pink dress that barely reached her mid-thighs with torn black accents across the top. There were black tights that covered her legs and slid comfortably into the black high heal shoes that she wore. The top hat she wore only seemed to finish off the entire look.

"I'd love to see what lies behind the masks."

Suddenly one of the trapeze acrobats came flying down and grabbed Molly before soaring back up in to the air as she let loose a shocked scream.

"Molly!" Lupin cried as he started to run after her.

Riley appeared in front of him and he stumbled back.

"Ah Ah Ah. You have your own fears to face my dear." She suddenly disappeared as flame developed right before his eyes.

Lupin spun around and faced a girl that looked a lot like a replica of Riley, yet he knew that she wasn't her. The girl grinned and tilted her head as she lifted a baton of fire to her lips while quickly exhaling and shooting flames at the once calm man.

Moody ran trying to escape from the acrobat that was wielding a chain like nunchaku. Finally he spun around and grabbed the chain as the girl whipped it at him. Yet something was wrong with this chain… it slithered. Moody looked down and saw a cobra wrapped around his hand before it suddenly lashed out at him.

Tonks backed away from the gymnast that watched her with unblinking eyes and continued on towards her. Finally Tonks reached something solid and while she turned around to see what it was she let out a sigh of relief upon discovering that it was only a statue of a lion. That was, until it moved and roared at her.

"How about I make this a little more entertaining." Riley said with a grin.

Molly was dropped into a container full of water. It was clear on all sides and the water seemed to show more then what was actually in the room. She looked up and saw one of the acrobats standing on the edge looking down at her with their hand on the top door. Molly swam up as quickly as she could, but the closer she got to the surface, the more familiar the person got. Finally she recognized him. It was Arthur! He had come to save her. She stretched out her hand, but it didn't break the surface and Arthur just watched her. He smiled and then reached up and grabbed the door with both hands before gently lowering it shut and locking the door. Molly screamed out, but remembered a very important lesson in life, you need air to survive, and you can't breathe underwater.

Lupin found himself standing in the middle of the arena, facing a wheel that appeared to be a target.

"Now I wonder. If I created this illusion, does that mean it ends if I get hurt?" Riley asked after appearing strapped to the wheel.

Lupin felt the cold bite of metal against his fingers. He looked down to see that he was holding eight long skinny knives by the blades and his clothes had changed to a black suit. His arm moved against his will and both arms came up and crossed his chest.

"I'd love to find out." Riley said.

Lupin's arms unwound themselves and suddenly his eight knives were soaring through the air heading straight for Riley.

Riley grinned and in practically no time at all, her body disappeared. But it didn't leave an empty wheel behind in her place, it left a terrified Tonks watching as the eight knives flew through the air at her.

"Oh don't think that I have forgotten you old man." Riley said as she hung upside down in front of him.

She flipped back up and out of his line of sight. Dumbledore kept looking foreword, but he held in a gasp. Standing in front of him, was a cloaked figure that evil seemed to roll off in waves, the only part of his face that Dumbledore could see was the sickening sneer, Voldemort's sneer. Dumbledore immediately pulled out his wand and faced Tom. Just as he was about to cast a spell, his wand, instead of sending a curse at the retched man, burst into colorful flowers.

Voldemort's grin reached a new level and the smooth hand slid out from underneath the billowy robes and up to the hood that hid his face. Slowly the figure pushed down the hood, but it wasn't Voldemort at all. It was Harry. Harry with sickening red eyes and a smirk that would could put the Malfoys to shame.

Suddenly they were all back in the room back at Grimmauld Place. All of them were wide eyed and checking for any damage that had been done.

"Sufficient enough demonstration, old man?"

In the second that they had found themselves safe, they had forgotten the cause of the danger. The young girl tied to the chair.

"Who taught you how to do dark magic, girl?" Moody growled out.

Riley tilted her head and smiled.

"Who said it was dark magic?"

"Ho-how is that not dark magic?" Molly breathed out while she held on to the chair behind her.

"Memory charms aren't dark magic even though they take something away from your mind. I just did the opposite. I put something in. Sort of like Legilimency"

"It's mind control." Lupin said as he cast a sideways glance at Tonks.

"It's not mind control. It is an illusion." Riley smirked, "A ripple of conscious thought. A glimpse of a dream during your waking moments."

"What spell was that?"

Riley turned her head and gazed at the wizard that sat in front of her.

"It's a spell that would mean nothing to you. You need to concentrate on more then one task, and it only gets harder with more people. It's not something that you can cast or control with a wand."

"Explain it." Moody said.

"And why would I do that?" Riley asked simply.

With a sudden movement Moody was in front of her with his wand against her throat.

"Because I'm a little anxious right now and it would be wise not to test my patience."

"You have a lot of guts for someone that is afraid of snakes." Riley spit out just as a snake appeared from behind her back and hissed at Moody. "Before, you didn't realize that that place you were in wasn't real. Maybe it's still me controlling everything you see."

Moody jumped back as the snake shot at him, right as it was about to sink it's fangs into his neck it disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

"Be careful where you tread. I have a lot more tricks then snakes and illusions, and I would hate for you to loose your head."

A mirror suddenly appeared in front of Moody. For a second it was cloudy, but as it appeared it showed Moody decapitated, but without the blood.

"Ms. Brooks! Please, if you would be so kind as to explain it anyways." Dumbledore said firmly.

She smiled and tilted her head to the side.

"As you wish." She said sweetly, though there was something dark hidden in her eyes. "First, you create the place that you want the person to see. You envision it and morph it into whatever you want."

Riley said this and looked at the room.

"Then, you fill your mind with magic. Specifically the image you have created with magic. Then, you infuse the people you want to effect with your own magic. I did this by talking and letting my magic out with the sounds. The more people you want to effect the more magic."

Riley tilted her head back and sang out a note that reverberated through the room.

"Then you take the image from your mind and attach it to your magic. It will follow the trails of your magic into each person and embed itself into their minds. Then, once they believe that they are in the image you can control every aspect of what they see. What moves, what talks, what colors they see, if they can speak, or hear, or run. But you have to be focused for them to believe it. Once again, more people means more concentration and concentrating on more then one sequence. It's basically legilimency."

Riley stopped talking and looked at all of them.

"Does that answer your question?"

"How is it legilimency? I have my mind blocked, it wouldn't have worked."

Riley tilted her head and sighed, "You're not as strong as you think old man. Your concentration wavers. Everyone's does. Unlike normal legilimency, I infuse my magic into you. It mixes with your magic and then becomes part of the magic that you are using to protect your mind. It's also the reason why you all started out in a small red room. Instinct kicks in and you try to find a way out, which completely takes down all defenses you have around your mind. You allowed me into your mind. I didn't have to do much."

"Why would you choose to do that?" Lupin asked from his corner.

"It's easy. It doesn't cause any of you harm, it can be scary, and I don't have to do much other then sit here and watch your facial expressions."

"How do we know that we aren't still in your illusion?"

Riley turned her attention to Molly once again.

"You're not. Pinch yourself. An illusion, is basically a dream. None of you got hurt in it. If you pinched yourself in the illusion, you wouldn't feel it."

"Then explain that snake you little wench."

"My, my you have a dirty mouth on you Mad-eye. The snake, is a different spell, similar to _serpensortia_ and I don't feel the need to explain it to you."

Moody started heading towards Riley with his wand out once again.

"Why you little-"

A python wrapped itself tightly around Moody's legs and squeezed together his legs causing him to fall to the ground.

"The snake comes back Mad-Eye and it will listen to what I say."

Just as suddenly as the snake appeared it was gone.

"I won't be able to do my tricks for much longer, but while I can, remember that I can do much worse things." Riley said while glaring at the ex-arurer,

"Why won't you be able to do wand-less magic soon? And how long is 'longer'?" Tonks asked as she finally recovered from her shock of not being dead.

Riley turned her attention to the woman and smiled, "Long… is a non-definite time. It could be anywhere from an hour to weeks. It all depends on how long it takes. A person has wand-less magic for however long they need it, and that's the only answer I can give you."

Tonks nodded. She believed that there was something wrong with this girl, but otherwise she felt as if she could trust her, and her instincts had never been wrong.

"So, are you going to let me go now?"

She waited for her answer, but saw everyone exchange a worried look. It was obvious that none of them wanted her here, but there was something else that they were worried about.

"Oh, you have got to be shitting me!"

"Watch your language young lady!"

"Since when are you my mother, Mrs. Weasley?"

Molly looked taken aback. She always treated all of the children in her house, or in this case, place where she was living, as her children. And this young woman definitely did not want to be treated as her child.

"Unfortunately, we can't let you go now Ms. Brooks because you know where the Order of the Phoenix is. We would have to give you a memory charm." Dumbledore said as he started pulling out his wand.

Riley glared, "You even try and mess with my memory and I will castrate you old man."

Every person's eyes got wide as they stared at the spitfire girl.

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHO YOU-"

"If you have yet to realize Alastor Moody, I know that he is Albus Dumbledore, that you are supposedly one of the best dark wizard fighters that went insane, that that is Nymphadora Tonks, and that is Molly Weasley, mother of the freaking red-heads that run the joke shop in Diagon ally, Bill and Charlie, and the two stuck up mother fuckers, Percy and Ronald. I might be a bitch, but don't for a second think that I am stupid or ignorant." Riley growled out as the room started to shake. "Don't forget. I'm not the one that was a coward and could only defeat my opponent with 5 people and by stunning them in the back."

"Please calm down Ms. Brooks. We don't want to keep you here anymore then you want to stay here, but we have to protect our own. I am aware that you could probably break those bonds. If you do try and use any sort of wand-less magic, there will be a curse that is triggered and will shock you every time you use it. So, I have to implore you to not try and escape or use your magic."

Riley watched Dumbledore stand and walk to the door, just as he opened it she said, "And here everyone was claming how great and trusting Dumbledore was. Holding a person captive, threatening to torture them. You're more like Voldemort then you think."

Dumbledore paused in his tracks before collecting himself and leading everyone else out of the room and snapping it shut behind him.

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>) 

"So… she will be staying in that room until further notice. None of you are to release her or go near her other then to give her food. There is a possibility that she is a spy for Voldemort, so she is not to be trusted. Is that understood?" Dumbledore asked.

He used to be a kind man, but the war had done horrible things to him. There was no bright sparkle in his eyes, no chuckle in his voice. He had aged considerably. They all had.

"But, Sir! She's not a spy! I know she's not. He's done horrible things to her, there is no way that she would ever serve him." Hermione cried out.

She knew Riley wasn't like that.

"_Riley, can I ask you a personal question?" Hermione said softly while sitting on the enormous bed in the master suit of her house. _

_Riley looked over at her from where she was leaning against the window watching the sunrise. They had just gotten back from the club._

"_Of course you can." She said with a small chuckle._

"_Well…" Hermione started out, "I was wondering who that boy was." _

_Hermione turned and faced the picture on the nightstand. _

"_The one in this picture." She finished off slightly hesitantly._

_Riley smiled and walked over to pick up the picture and sat down on the bed across from Hermione._

"_This is Jason. He was a friend of mine." Riley smiled and laid the picture down in between them. _

"_I didn't have a family so I used to live with him. We were kind of like, what you and Harry are like. He was always there for me, and I would do anything to protect him." Riley paused, "There was this one time, I remember I came home, and I had a split lip and a black eye, with my makeup all smeared, I looked absolutely dreadful!" _

_Riley laughed, "Well his mom screamed at the sight of me and passed out. She was kind of squeamish. So, Jason comes running down the stairs and when he sees me, he comes over and gives me a hug and the first thing he says is 'Who's ass am I kicking?'"_

_Hermione smiled, Riley and Jason were a lot like her and Harry._

"_Where is he?" Hermione asked innocently._

_Riley looked at the picture and her smile slid off of her face._

"_He's dead."_

"_I-I'm sorry." Hermione said. Maybe she shouldn't have asked._

_Riley smiled and shook her head._

"_No it's ok. It's not like it is your fault. In fact, in a way you are working to avenge his death." Riley said while leaning back and smiling at Hermione. "Voldemort killed him, personally."_

_At Hermione's confused face Riley laughed, "Your curiosity is going to be the death of you."_

"_Jason's parents were two of the original members of the Order of the Phoenix. I'm assuming that you know what it is because of your relation to Harry and Dumbledore. Anyways, they had been spies for the light during the first war, so when he came to power again, he had an old score to settle."_

_Riley shrugged and then leaned back propping herself up with her arms._

"_I had left because I needed to take care of something. Voldemort came to their house and killed Jason's parents and took Jason back with him. He thought that Jason would know about the new Order and what they were doing, so he tortured him to try and get information that Jason didn't have." _

_Riley's voice was harsh and she glared at a spot on the wall above Hermione's head. _

"_The one time he needed me to protect him and I wasn't there for him. There's not a day that goes by that I don't hate myself for it. I know it wasn't my fault that he was killed, but I wasn't there when he needed me." Riley's voice had grown quieter. "Jason was tortured for days and then that bastard sent me the memories of it in a box. I saw everything that happened to Jason through a pensive."_

_Riley's voice dropped a little lower. "I hate that mother fucker. I'm not the type that goes out on revenge trips, but if I ever do meet up with him, I'll make sure that I at least take a piece of him with me."_

_Hate was almost dripping off of Chiyo's words. It reminded Hermione of how she would feel if Voldemort ever killed one of her friends._

"Sir, she wouldn't." Hermione had tears in her eyes suddenly and she didn't know why.

"I'm sorry Ms. Granger, but precautions must be taken. You specifically will not be allowed to deliver her food, or go anywhere near the top floor. If you do, I am afraid I will be forced to take away the possibility of you becoming head girl next year." Dumbledore said with a straight voice.

Finally the tears fell and Hermione ran out of the kitchen trying to hide her face from everyone. When she finally reached her room, she slammed the door behind her succeeding in waking up Ms. Black, which caused Tonks and Arthur to run out into the hall to try and shut her curtains.

"Now I believe there is nothing left to discuss. You'll have to excuse me for now Molly, but I have some work to do at the school. Good day."

With a swish of his cloak Dumbledore left the kitchen and everyone in a stunned silence. Each person looked around at everyone else before turning away once again.

"Someone should go check on Hermione."

All attention turned to Mrs. Weasley before Lupin spoke, "I don't think that that would be a wise decision."

With everyone now looking at him, he continued. "None of us are entirely sure of why Hermione is upset. All we know is that it has something to do with what we are doing to Riley and seeing as how all of us agree with Dumbledore, talking to her now would turn out very badly."

"Why should she care?" Ron growled out.

Everyone turned to Ron and Harry started to glare at him.

"Maybe because that girl actually treated Hermione like a human that had needs and feelings."

Harry looked over at Tonks who had just come back into the kitchen.

"Tonks, please. Lets let this be for now. It's time for dinner. Ron, could you please take Riley her food please." Molly said while handing him and sandwich and a glass of water.

Harry raised his eyebrow at the food and then watched as Mrs. Weasley laid out a beef stew and a couple of jugs of butter beer. He rolled his eyes at how stupid they were all being.

Harry took his place at the table and waited to be served. His thoughts wondered to the girl that was being held captive upstairs.

He remembered how she had made Ron fly through the air with just a flick of her wrist. She had looked so scary and Harry couldn't even see her face. Harry didn't even get a good look at her. At first she had her head down, so her long blonde hair had hidden her face. Then, out of nowhere 5 stunners hit her in the back at once and Moody, Tonks, Dumbledore came out and collected her unconscious body. Harry didn't know where the other two stunners came from.

Harry quickly thanked Mrs. Weasley for the stew and then returned to his thoughts. He wondered what Hermione and that girl had talked about. That girl appeared to be protecting Hermione the entire time and she rarely took the offensive. She used certain spells to incapacitate people that were getting close to actually hitting her, but she never sent a spell at anyone that wasn't a large threat. Then she had used wand-less magic.

Harry didn't even know that it was possible to do wand-less magic and control the effects. He also _knew_ that pain was one of the things that prevented wand-less magic. So how did she suddenly do it?

Harry heard something clattering above him and the entire kitchen went silent. Suddenly there was a crashing sound and then the sound of wood bursting coupled with Ron's screams.

Harry jumped up and ran out into the hall just in time to see Ron's fall slow down and him landing softly on the ground of the main floor. Suddenly there was blue electricity crackling around the broken door and Harry could just barely make out Riley's whimper.

"TRY TO HIT ME AGAIN RED AND YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO TELL IF YOU ARE A BOY OR A GIRL, YOU GET ME?!" Riley's voice carried out into the open space.

Mrs. Black's portrait sprang to life once again and started screaming, "FILTH! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! HOW DARE YOU-"

"SHUT UP YOU GODDAMN MOTHER FUCKER!" Riley's voice once again rang out once again and Mrs. Black shut up.

Her portrait turned it's face up wards and looked at the broken door.

"What are you? What dark magic created YOU?! NOT EVEN IN THIS HOUSE WOULD WE WANT SOMETHING LIKE YOU! GET OUT!"

The walls started shaking. Suddenly there was a ripping sound and Mrs. Black's picture started being pulled off the wall by some invisible force. The blue electricity started once again, but this time it was more powerful then the last.

"IF YOU WANT TO STAY ON THAT PRETTY LITTLE WALL OF YOURS I WOULD TAKE MY ADVICE FROM BEFORE AND SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Harry could hear Riley's voice straining through pain and for a second it sounded like she wanted to scream out in pain, but she didn't let herself.

Suddenly Mrs. Black's curtains flew closed and the hallway returned to silence.

Harry walked over to Ron, grabbed his collar and dragged him to his feet.

"Why the hell would you try and hit her Ron?!"

"She was the one that started it!"

Harry shook him and threw him against a wall.

"What are you five? And she is tied to a goddamn chair Ron. She can't do anything except for wand-less magic and I'm fairly sure that she didn't until she threw you through the door because that stupid curse would have gone off."

Harry turned on his heel and started marching up the stairs.

"Harry! Where are you going?"

"To fix the door, Mrs. Weasley, and then to bed. I seem to have lost my appetite."

Harry continued to march up the stairs. He stopped in front of his door and pointed his wand up to the next landing.

"Reparo."

As the door reattached itself to the hinges Harry walked into his room and shut it quickly while locking it behind him. Right now, the only thing on his mind was bed.

**So, people are on edge. There is something very wrong with Riley, but what? Why is it that only Hermione saw Riley's wings? Or did someone else see them maybe they just weren''t in the room? What's Ron's issue? All questions to be answered soon.**

What did you all think. PLEASE REVIEW!! Even if it is a flame. I need input people! Hopefully the next chapter will be out A LOT sooner! Thanks for reading! 


	4. Chapter 4: The Essence of Pain

**A/N!! Haha yep. This one came out quicker! I'd like to thank the people that reviewed.**

Gossipchick, yes something happens. It starts this chapter in fact and thank you so much for being considerate and taking the time to review. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

The Fanfic Guardian, thanks for the input. You give good criticism. Some things had already been changed. I wrote this chapter before chapter 3, so I needed to make things fit. Maybe you'll like this one better.

So, for this chapter you can play the song I'm A Bitch by Alanis Morissette, it fits the mood. Lol ENJOY!

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6 days. Riley had been tied to the exact same chair in the same depressingly gray room for 6 horrific, long, excruciating days. She seriously believed that she was losing her mind and her 'watchers' weren't helping matters.

Everyday someone would be assigned as her 'watcher'. They were the person that was designated to 'take care of her' for the day. They were rude, abrasive and annoyed the crap out of her.

They would come in early morning to take her to the bathroom and then immediately she would be taken back and tied to her chair once again. Normally during this part two people would be her guard and have their wands on her at all times.

Then one person would bring her food and feed her three times a day. Riley could easily say that it was the most nauseating food that she had ever had the displeasure to have slither down her throat.

Then sometime around 10 o'clock at night, the two 'watchers' would return and take her to the bathroom once again.

Other then that, she had no interaction with any of the 'generous' people that lived in the dank house.

Riley assumed that Hermione was somewhere in this house, and if Hermione was here, that would mean so is Harry. Riley had a little bit of an interest in the boy, but not because he was the Boy-Who-Lived. No, her interest wasn't personal or genuine, more… required. It was the same for Hermione, but for the moment neither of them needed to know that.

Unfortunately not much could happen while Riley was strapped to the uncomfortable wooden chair.

Riley leaned back and cracked her neck. It was probably about 4 in the morning and something had woken her up a while ago. It was a bit like a voice ringing in her head. Someone crying out as something happened to them and all Riley could do was sit and listen. The voice hadn't stopped for over an hour. She couldn't tell what the voice was saying, just that something was wrong. It was starting to give her a migraine. Having voices in her head was just one of her many occupational hazards.

The voices had been getting louder for weeks. It was all that she could expect with Voldemort rising to power again. He was a man that enjoyed pain and enjoyed causing it. Therefore, more people would be crying out in her head.

The voices bounced off of one another and creating an unintelligible jumble that seemed to echo for an eternity. Each person added to the confusion and disorder in her mind. She couldn't even put together one intelligible thought because it would be cut off by someone else's scream. Their voices accomplishing nothing, but building up noise in the endless void that had become her head. How she so desperately wanted to reach up and cover her ears with the palms of her hands, even though she knew that it would do nothing to drown out the deafening noise.

Riley couldn't take it any more. With a sudden jerk she hit her head against the back of the chair and for the time being the noise dimmed. Instead of the shrill echoes, it was now only a low murmur. 

There was a small squeaking noise in the corner of her room. It was coming from under a cabinet that constantly shook, though the squeaking was something new.

Her eye started to twitch. She got rid of one noise only to replace it with another. The squeaking wasn't as bad as the voices, but nevertheless Riley had a short fuse and it was getting increasingly shorter.

Riley looked down to the floor right next to her foot. Riley's latest watcher had left her dinner bowl right next to her. Riley gingerly shifted her weight down so that she was slouched in her seat and giving the ropes around her legs a little bit of slack. Riley bit the corner of her lip and continued to maneuver her leg around so that her foot was just under the lip of the bowl. With one last look at the quivering and squeaking cabinet, Riley jerked her foot and sent the bowl flying towards the top drawer. With a loud crash and the sound of shattering ceramic, the bowl collided with the atrocious piece of furniture, causing a large furry gray rat to go flying across the room and escape onto the landing in the hallway through a small whole.

"Freaking rats."

Riley turned her attention back onto the cabinet as it started shaking more violently then ever before. She let out a low sigh as she readjusted in her seat as all hopes of getting any more rest flew out the window. Maybe she would pester her new watcher to get rid of whatever had taken up residence in the filing cabinet.

Why couldn't the noise just stop?

------------

Hermione had been acting weird ever since Dumbledore had announced that Riley would be staying in Grimmauld Place as a hostage.

Harry could understand her being upset about her new friend being treated badly, but why would she avoid talking to anyone, especially him?

As he paced his room he threw a rubber ball up and caught it. It was clear that something was disturbing him, or more specifically a new _someone_.

Harry couldn't grasp it. From what he had heard the Order members say after they had watch duty, she was an awful girl. She was rude, vile, had some accent that sent them all over the edge, and knew too much about too much. So why would Hermione be friends with a girl like that? And then there was the whole issue with the wings.

He hadn't heard anyone else talking about it, so he didn't ask. Then again besides complaining about her, nobody really talked about her. Well at least not physical appearances.

He shook his head. A suspected death eater was in the room right above his and he was wondering if she was fit or not. Then again, he was a teenager and it wasn't like he didn't notice what Hermione looked like when she had shown up on the back of that motorcycle.

Harry shook his head again. He needed to focus.

He was worried about Hermione. She wouldn't talk to anyone and she spent all of her time in the book room flipping through pages of old tomes. Harry knew that it had something to do with that girl upstairs. He just wasn't sure what.

He spun around and threw the rubber ball against the wall. It impacted with a thud and then bounced away. He sighed. At least he didn't share a room with Ron anymore. Harry wasn't sure how much of Ron he could put up with at the moment.

This entire mess was all Ron's fault.

None of them shared rooms anymore. The cleaning had finally paid off and there were enough rooms for each of the teens to have a room of their own. Ginny and Hermione no longer shared a room and the twins now had their own home, so they rarely ever stayed at Grimmauld Place. Then there was the mystery girl that inhabited the room directly above his.

Harry turned and let himself fall heavily back onto his bed. It was a little after 4 in the morning and he knew he should grab some shuteye.

He moved his arms underneath his head and relaxed. He was just about to fall asleep when something scrapping on the floor above him alerted all of his senses. It was quiet scrapping, but it was definitely the sound of a person shifting in their chair. Suddenly there was a bang, the sound of something shattering, and the scratch of a small animal's claws on the floor.

"Freaking rats."

Harry raised his eyebrow at the ceiling as he heard Riley's exasperated sigh. Apparently he wasn't the only one up this early. The banging that had always been a constant from that room seemed to grow louder. Harry sighed, maybe he should just go see if Hermione was up, instead of pretending to try and get any sleep.

------------

There was knocking onher door. It was quiet and if she was asleep it wouldn't have woken her, as it was, she was awake, so she noticed.

The door slid open a tiny amount and a mass of unruly black hair appeared inside of her room.

"Oh, you are awake."

Hermione offered a small smile.

"Obviously. You can come in Harry." Hermione said softly.

Harry gracefully slipped through the small gap and shut the door softly behind him. As he turned around and came walking towards the bed he stumbled and Hermione let out a small giggle. Harry rubbed the back of his head not even trying to hide the blush that appeared. Hermione just shook her head and scooted over while patting the side of her bed. Harry came over and sat down while leaning against the bedpost opposite of her.

"So, what has you coming into my bedroom at…" Hermione turned and glanced at the clock on her bed stand, "4:15 in the morning?"

As he leaned back he sighed and then answered, "I'm worried about you Hermione. You haven't been talking to anyone since you came back with that girl and you are even more attached to that book room then you were before. Did something happen?"

Hermione was taken aback to say the least. She hadn't ever thought that Harry noticed that much about her.

"I just feel horrible." Hermione admitted softly, "And that girl's name is Riley. She was helping me. She was reminding me that I couldn't just put up with what people said about me and pretend that I'm fine. And then when she is bringing me back here after basically letting me know anything I wanted about her and being completely honest, I get her attacked."

Hermione leaned back against the headboard and sighed.

"She didn't even do anything and then the order attacked her like she was… Bellatrix Lestrange. And then Ron… I can't believe that he would ever use that curse on someone!" Hermione practically growled at the thought.

Harry nodded his head.

"Only for him to _miss_ and then for it to head straight at me!" Hermione kept talking quietly, but Harry could tell that she was getting riled up, "Then Riley had to save me because there is no counter curse to that. I got her hurt and she didn't even show it. But it's my fault that she used wand-less magic on Ron because if that curse hadn't come at me, she wouldn't have gotten angry. And you didn't see the way that they were interrogating her Harry." Hermione said while shaking her head.

"Have you seen what they've done to her?" She asked quietly.

Harry shook his head and Hermione immediately started to explain.

"They tied her to this chair with her hands behind her back and then tied her feet to the legs of the chair with the same rope that went around her hands. The rope goes all the way up and wraps around her neck. It's tight too Harry. Her skin was already getting raw because every time she moved, the rope would rub against her neck and get tighter."

Hermione was shaking slightly, then again so was Harry. Since when had the Order taken to hurting people?

"It-it must have been because they think that she is a death eater." He said hesitantly.

"But she's not!" Hermione said, "Voldemort has done horrible things to her. He tortured her best friend and then sent her the memories of it. You didn't hear her when she was talking about it, but she hates him Harry. She hates Voldemort _so_ much."

Harry didn't know what he could say to that. So he just sat there looking at Hermione. He couldn't deny that he agreed with Hermione, but what was he supposed to do? Riley might be awful, but she wasn't evil, even if she had taken Hermione.

Harry looked over to Hermione and for the first time he realized what she was wearing. Hermione had moved to the top of the covers and revealed that she was only wearing an oversized guys T-shirt.

As she sat on the bedspread in front of Harry, he couldn't help but glance at her long, slender legs. He looked down at her delicate feet and let his eyes slowly trail up past her toned calves, up her bent knees, and all the way up to her tempting thighs and where the shirt lightly rested against her legs. Harry felt his fingers start twitching imagining what it would feel like to run his hands up those sensuously long tan legs.

Harry shook his head visibly. He should not be thinking about his friend that way. His hormones must have been seriously screwed up lately.

"Harry? Are you ok?"

Harry focused back on Hermione's face and clearly saw the concern that showed through her eyes.

He offered a small smile and nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine Hermione."

For a second she just looked at him before smiling and nodding her head.

"Good. I can't have two of my best friends messed up."

Harry sighed and leaned foreword slightly.

"About that. Hermione I know Ron has been-"

Hermione shook her head and quickly covered Harry's mouth with her hand.

"Don't try to explain what Ronald has been doing. I don't need to hear it. He did what he did, and that is inexcusable. I don't want you to tell me that I need to forgive him because I don't. And Ron wasn't the best friend I was talking about."

Harry paused and tilted his head. His eyes narrowed imperceptibly.

"Riley?" He asked softly.

Hermione nodded her head and said, "Yes. Riley isn't the type of person that can sit still for a long amount of time. She's a bit of a free spirit."

The last part sounded like it was a trait the annoyed Hermione, but she had accepted that that was Riley.

"You're talking like you have known her for years." Harry said slightly bitterly.

It had always been him, Ron, and Hermione. They were the best friends. Then Riley just comes waltzing in and grabs Hermione from them.

"She's an honest person. She's open and sincere and a lot of things that have been lacking in my life recently." Hermione said, "Harry… don't hate her."

Harry was about to open his mouth to argue, but Hermione cut him off.

"Harry. I know you. You are protective of the things you have and I am one of those things to you. Riley isn't taking me away. She's just helping me remember what it means to be human. I can't take all of the burdens all of the time, just like you can't. We both have been trying to lately."

Hermione hit the nail on the head. Harry wanted to hate Riley, but he didn't have any reason to. Riley hadn't done anything to him and she hadn't done anything but help Hermione.

"So what about Ron?" He asked quietly.

Hermione sighed and folded her hands in her lap.

"I think that for the moment being. I can't be friends with Ron." Hermione said gently, "He hurt me too much and he did it purposefully. Then what he did to Riley. It is inexcusable."

"What about what she did to Ron?" Harry started defensively. Ron had made some mistakes, but he was still Harry's best friend, so he would defend him.

"Riley was only doing that in defense Harry. You've never had that curse cast on you, but I have. Nott caught me last year when you and Dumbledore were gone. It hurts Harry. It hurts more then anything I have ever felt and I _screamed_. I never scream Harry." Hermione's voice had gotten quieter as she relived her bad memory.

"Riley would have been in excruciating pain, not only that, but she was angry. She hates people that hurt or betray their friends. That's the only reason that she did that and she didn't hurt Ron all that much either. You weren't near her when she did that. But I was and I could feel the magic coming off of her in waves. She could have done a lot worse then throw him against a light pole."

For a moment they were both silent and just looked at each other. The sun slowly came up and cast pink light against Hermione's bedroom walls.

"Don't hate her Harry."

------------

"Harry dear, I have to ask you a favor." Mrs. Weasley said sweetly.

Harry and Hermione had shown up just in time for breakfast. They had been talking for a while apparently.

Harry turned his attention to Mrs. Weasley as she rushed about the kitchen in a patchwork apron.

"Yeah, sure. What do you need, Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked as he took the pot of eggs from her tiny hands and set the black pot onto the table.

Mrs. Weasley came hurrying out and placed a bowl of what appeared to be gruel in Harry's empty hands. Harry looked at it in disgust, but quickly hid the look from Molly.

"Mundungus was supposed to be Riley's watcher today, but he isn't here yet. I need you to take care of her until he gets here."

No sooner had she finished the sentence then she turned and walked away leaving Harry no room for argument.

Harry looked over at Hermione to see the excited look on her face as she nudged him out the door while whispering a quiet, "Check on her for me." Before the door closed and left him alone out in the hall.

Harry sighed and readjusted the bowl in his hands so as not to drop it. He slowly made the trek up the stairs over the squeaky floorboards to the top floor. He paused a second before opening the large oak door and stepping into the room as quietly as he could and shutting the door with an almost inaudible click.

"You don't have to be so quiet you know."

Harry jumped at the sound of the girl's voice. He didn't know what to expect from her, but it certainly wasn't a voice that sounded as if she were singing a beautiful tune. He turned around and for the first time got a good look at the powerful girl in front of him.

Her blonde hair flowed gently down her back and stopped just below her shoulder blades. Her face was kind and her gold eyes showed no intent to be cruel or rude. She offered him a kind smile and leaned back in the chair. Harry listened as each of the ropes strained and watched as they tightened along her skin.

She was still wearing the bloody white tank top and loose pants that she had had on when she had arrived. There was also a dark bruise on her cheek and one in the shape of a hand on her upper arm.

"I don't bite, if that's what you are worried about." Riley said gently.

"Just being cautious." Harry said as he pulled a chair up so that he was directly in front of her. "You definitely aren't acting the way everyone says you do."

Riley's smile took on a different edge, but she answered all the same.

"I only act the way they do. If they are rude, then I am rude back. Normally I am just better at it, so they dislike me. But if they are complaining about it, then they are more then rude. They are hypocrites." Riley said simply.

Harry's eye twitched. He was on the verge of making Riley treat him the same way and that would be a bad idea.

"So. What has the lovely red head cooked up for me today?" Riley said.

Harry could hear a slight sneer on her voice, so all he did was shrug while tilting the bowl so that she could see in it. She visibly grimaced.

"You know. I am a horrible cook, but at least my food is decent enough to eat." She said.

It didn't sound like she was making fun of the food, just stating an opinion without any inflection. It was odd to hear someone talk like that.

"Mrs. Weasley is a great cook." Harry said in return.

Riley raised her eyebrow at him and then looked back at the gruel in the bowl.

"Right."

Harry rolled his eyes and glanced around the room. It seemed like this room wasn't even cleaned out properly. There were still objects that were obviously dark magic and that cabinet in the corner continued to shake. He looked down and noticed the broken bowl and raised his eyebrow in question towards Riley.

She shrugged and said, "It was squeaking."

Once again Harry raised his eyebrows at her and once again she just shrugged.

"So… squeaking annoys you?"

"Yes. Along with stupid questions." She said while looking pointedly at Harry.

"Maybe people wouldn't ask stupid questions if you didn't have stupid pet peeves."

Riley smiled and tilted her head slightly.

"And maybe I wouldn't have stupid pet peeves if people were smart enough to know common manners. No offence, but being tied to a chair for 6 days has put me a little on edge."

"Why can't you just admit that you are wrong? What's going to be your excuse for how you treated people the first night you were here?"

Riley raised an eyebrow at him, "I blame it on catching 5 stunners in the back after saving one of their own and then being tied to a chair while being interrogated."

Her voice had taken on a different edge. So, this was the Riley that everyone hated. It was amazing how quickly her demeanor changed.

"You seem to have an excuse for everything." He said quickly.

She tilted her head, "I'm just bitter and it feels so good to be self-righteous bitch that teaches everyone else lessons."

The shock on his face showed enough of what he thought.

"What gives you the right to teach other people lessons?" He asked accusingly.

"Years of experience." She said as she leaned towards him.

"You can't have any years on any of those people."

She smiled and quirked her head, "Appearances can be deceiving."

There was a lull in the conversation while Harry just sat there staring incredulously at the girl in front of her. This girl was one serious piece of work.

He looked down at the food and then picked up the spoon and pulled it free from the substance with a sickening squelch. He looked at it for a second before leaning foreword to put the spoon in front of Riley's mouth.

Riley looked down her nose at the spoon and then looked at Harry. When he made no move to take the spoon away, Riley strained against the rope and took the substance into her mouth.

Harry watched as he raised each spoon to Riley's lips, how she would have to pull on the rope around her neck to reach the spoon. It was sickening. He could hear the rope straining around her throat and watched, as it seemed to only grow tighter. When he tried to move closer he realized that there was some sort of shield placed around her that kept anyone from getting too close. Harry was sickened by the thought that the Order would do something like this. So maybe some of her attitude was justified, but she was still way more bratty then she needed to be.

Once again the spoon was raised to her mouth and as Riley tried to swallow she found she couldn't even force herself to take the next spoonful of gruel into her mouth. She turned her head away and grimaced.

"I'm done." Riley said through a strained voice.

Harry raised his eyebrow at her. She had barely even finished an eighth of the bowl and it was a small bowl. He sighed and placed the bowl on the ground next to him.

Riley had her eyes closed as she tried to lean as far back as possible to release the pressure that had been applied to her throat. The rope was even making it hard for her to breathe.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, while he watched the girl grimace.

Riley opened one eye and looked at him, ""Do you care?"

Once again there was no inflection on what she said. She wasn't accusing him and she wasn't truly expecting an answer.

"I need a shower."

Harry raised his eyebrow at Riley.

"What?"

Riley rolled her eyes.

"I said, that I need a shower." Riley said simply, "I have been stuck to a chair for 6 days, which would mean that I haven't had a shower in that long."

"Really?" Harry asked.

Riley raised her eyebrow at him and he quickly put up his hands in defense.

"Sorry stupid question."

Riley just gave a small nod of her head before wincing slightly and leaning back.

"Why hasn't anyone let you have a shower?"

"Because they are always guys and they are either jerks or perverts." Riley shrugged while keeping her head completely still. "You seem nicer though, so I figured I should ask you."

"So, what do you want me to do about it?" Harry asked.

Riley raised her eyebrow, "You're seriously asking me that? Whatever. You are my watcher for today. If I'm not tied up someone has to be with me. So you would have to untie me so that I could take a shower and wait in the room with me."

Harry's eyes got all wide.

"What?" Harry asked.

Riley sighed and hung her head.

"Never mind. It appears that would be too much of an issue for you."

Harry shook his head.

"No, no, just hold on a second. It's not everyday that I have to watch a girl take a shower."

"Right." Riley said hesitantly.

Secretly she had her fingers crossed behind her back as she watched Harry make a decision.

"You would need clean clothes right?"

Riley let out a breath and smiled, "Yeah."

Harry nodded his head.

"Okay. I'll go get some from Hermione and see if Mrs. Weasley or Ginny can be with you."

Riley smiled, "Thank you."

------------

Harry sprinted back up the stairs and started knocking rapidly on a wooden door. It quickly swung open and revealed a mass of bushy brown hair.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione asked hurriedly as she pulled him into her room.

"Well-not to much. Riley just asked if she could take a shower." Harry said quickly.

Hermione looked at him confused, "And there is something wrong with that?"

"YES!" Harry yelled causing Hermione to jump back.

"I'm her watcher until Mundungus gets here. For her to take a shower, I have to untie her. If I untie her I have to stay with her."

Hermione's eyes widened a little, "Oh."

"Exactly."

"Well, why don't you just ask-"

"I already did. Mrs. Weasley said that Riley had it out for her and that she didn't want Ginny to have to deal with that 'awful, cruel girl'."

Hermione tilted her head and looked at Harry incredulously, "She said that?!"

Harry just nodded his head.

"Well then I guess you don't have much of a choice."

Harry's eyes widened at Hermione.

"Oh, come on Harry. There is going to be a curtain there and Riley definitely isn't an exhibitionist. So, I am positive you won't see anything."

Harry sighed. He wanted to say no.

"Harry please, I want Riley to at least know that not all of the people in this house are cruel. I'll owe you." Hermione said sincerely while looking up at him with her big cinnamon colored eyes.

Harry let out another exasperated sigh. Oh, how he hated those eyes. Whenever Hermione looked at him like that he caved.

"Alright. She needs clean clothes though."

Hermione smiled and gave Harry a big hug before quickly rushing about her room picking out clothes. She came running back to Harry and shoved a pile of neatly folded clothes into his out stretched arms. She had given him a pair of flowy white capri pants, a light pink tube top, and a matching pink thong and strapless bra.

Harry raised his eyebrow and hooked his finger through the side of the thong and raising it in front of him before turning his attention back to Hermione.

"You wear thongs?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes slightly before pushing Harry out of her bedroom.

"Go take care of Riley, we can talk about my panty choices later." She said while quickly shutting the door.

Harry stood out on the landing still holding up the thong and laughed. He never would have pegged Hermione as that sort of girl. It made him wander what other little secrets the bookworm was hiding. He continued laughing all the way up the stairs and walked into Riley's room still holding the thong up in front of him

Riley raised her eyebrow at what she thought was the hysterical Harry and let out a small chuckle.

"Thongs that entertaining to you huh?" She asked slightly mockingly.

Harry straightened up, but couldn't wipe the smile from his face. He walked over and placed the clothes on the bench in the attached bathroom before returning to Riley. He walked behind her and started undoing the ropes, though he paused.

"No wand-less magic. Alright?"

Riley smiled and replied, "Don't worry. I couldn't use wand-less magic on you if I wanted to."

Harry finished untying the ropes and led Riley into the bathroom. Riley stepped into the shower with all of her clothes on. She pulled the curtain closed and realized that it only came up to her mid-shoulder. She sighed and shrugged. It wasn't going to bother her. Riley started to slowly peel off her filthy clothes and tossed them skillfully into the sink on the other side of the bathroom.

Harry sat down on the bench next to the clothes, but kept his eyes on Riley to make sure she didn't pull anything funny.

She reached down and turned on the water and sighed in bliss as the hot water started to pour down her aching body. She was fairly sure that Harry didn't notice, but she had barely been able to move when he untied her. She had been sitting in the same uncomfortable position for too long. She stepped foreword and let the water run down her face as she turned her face up into the stream of water.

"So, how long have you and Hermione been friends?" Riley asked as she started to wash her hair with the green shampoo that was in the shower.

"Since out first year in Hogwarts." Harry said with a small smile.

"That's about seven years, right? It's always good to have friends for a long time."

Harry nodded. Hermione and Ron were his first real friends. He was incredibly grateful for them.

"Do you play any sports Harry?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah, I play Quidditch."

Riley stopped rubbing the soap into her long hair and looked over at Harry.

"What position do you play?"

"Seeker."

Riley nodded her head and went back to washing her hair. It felt good to have her head clean again.

Harry was just sitting there watching Riley. He was desperately trying to ignore the fact that there was a beautiful girl naked in front of him, hidden by only a thin piece of cloth. But suddenly something struck him.

"How did you know my name? I didn't tell you it." He said while pointing his wand at the curtain.

Riley looked over at him as she rinsed the last of the suds out of her long locks.

"For some reason, you all are under the impression that I am stupid or something. It gets a little old after a while." Riley said while turning to grab the conditioner.

"It isn't hard to figure out who you are. There is the scar for one." Harry reached up and brushed his fringe down to try and cover it. "Then there were pictures of you in the daily prophet a couple of years back. Though you do look a lot different."

"You didn't stare at my scar. I figured that you didn't notice it, so you wouldn't know who I was." Harry said.

Riley turned and gave him a smile.

"Why would I stare at the thing that is a reminder of your parents death? You may be the 'Boy-Who-Lived', but I definitely don't envy you."

Riley turned back around and started to wash the rest of her body missing the small smile that appeared on Harry's face. It wasn't everyday that a person just treated him like a normal teenager. Maybe Hermione was right about Riley.

"Earlier you said that you couldn't use wand-less magic on me. Why not?" Harry asked curiously.

Riley smiled even though Harry couldn't see it because her back was turned towards him.

"Good catch. I can only use wand-less magic to protect people. What I did to the others on the first day was just left over from when I was protecting Hermione."

Harry tilted his head.

"So you can't do wand-less magic whenever you want?"

Riley finished washing off the soap and conditioner and turned to face Harry.

"There are conditions to everything. The same applies to wand-less magic." Riley said simply. "Can you pass me a towel?"

Harry stood up and grabbed one of the white fluffy towels and tossed it over at Riley. She quickly caught it and pulled it into the shower with her.

"What conditions apply to wand-less magic?" Harry asked while sitting back on the bench.

"Ever heard the saying curiosity killed the cat?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders.

"Panties, please?" Riley said while towel drying her hair.

A small blush appeared on Harry's face as he picked up the thong and tossed it over at Riley. Once again she caught it and brought them into the shower with her. It continued like that until Riley was fully dressed and stepped out of the shower.

Riley smiled and stretched. It felt so good to be clean and actually move. It was now that Harry recognized the raw skin of Riley's neck, wrists, and ankles. The skin had turned red and looked as if it had been rubbed off in some spots while leaving scabs in its wake. He couldn't stop the bad feeling that rose in his chest knowing that he was going to have to tie her up again.

Riley could feel Harry's hesitance and immediately she knew why. She walked over gracefully to her chair and sat down in the same position that she had been tied in earlier and looked over at Harry.

"Do your job watcher." She said simply.

Harry nodded numbly and quickly retied the ropes a little looser then they had been before. Riley smiled and said a small 'thank you'. Harry went over to the door and paused.

"Someone else might be here later in the day, but if not then I'll be back with your food."

Riley nodded her head and smiled, "Tell Hermione that I'm fine."

Harry nodded his head and stepped out of the room while once again quietly shutting the door.

Harry walked quietly down the stairs and gently opened the door to Hermione's room. She was sitting on the edge of her pink bedspread looking as if she was waiting for him to come and tell her how her friend was.

"Riley wanted me to tell you that she's fine."

Hermione nodded her head and when Harry got a closer look he could see the tears that were gathering in the corner of her eyes.

"Hermione what's wrong?" Harry asked as he rushed over to her side.

"I've gotten her into this mess! I don't know what to do Harry. It's always supposed to be me that solves the problems, but this time I've created it!"

The tears started to spill down her cheeks and Harry's heart broke at the sight. He quickly gathered the small girl into his arms and let her tears soak his shirt. Very gently, he ran his hand through her hair as he moved to sit against the bedpost while bringing her with him.

"Shh. It's not you fault Hermione. Don't cry. Riley is okay. She doesn't blame you. Don't cry."

Still Hermione sobbed and Harry could do nothing other then stay there with her. He wouldn't deny that he felt awkward. He had never comforted a crying person, let alone Hermione. He tried his best though. He held onto her and whispered that everything would be okay into her ear, until finally she stopped crying and her breathing evened out. It was only mid-day, but Hermione had still cried herself to sleep. Harry looked down at the friend that he had cradled in his arms. Everything had happened so fast lately. He continued to hold Hermione and eventually he fell asleep with her slender arms wrapped around his waist.

------------

A few hours later Harry woke up. Hermione was still peacefully asleep against him and he smiled down at her. She was resting and had a small smile on her face. It was a lot better then the crying that had happened earlier.

Harry shifted slightly and looked at the clock. It was a half past noon. Probably time for him to go get food for Riley again. He thought that he should tell her about Hermione. Maybe she could do something to comfort Hermione, even if Riley couldn't actually talk to her.

Harry gently lifted Hermione off of him and laid her back down on the bed. Hermione turned over and snuggled into the comforter. With one last smile at his friend he departed silently out the door.

As Harry stepped out onto the landing he was slightly shocked to see that Ginny, Ron, and the twins were leaning against the railing trying to listen in on a conversation downstairs.

With a few quick steps Harry reached the others and squeezed in between Fred and George.

"What's going on?"

Fred turned to him and patted him on the back in hello.

"Dumbledore's just arrived." He replied.

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"So?"

"So…" replied George, "He brought Snape with him."

Harry turned to George and then looked at Ron and Ginny who were nodding their heads. None of them had seen Snape since he faked Dumbledore's death in front of those death eaters. At the time none of them knew that it was faked, but still. With the excuse of Dumbledore being dead, they had all figured that Snape wouldn't be able to come back.

Harry still didn't trust Snape. Not after what he had done to Harry when the Death Eaters tried to escape.

"Why's he here?" Asked Harry.

"We think it has something to do with that girl upstairs. We're not sure though." Said Ginny.

"Well why don't we go find out?" Harry said while turning and sprinting down the stairs.

The Weasleys all looked at each other before quickly following Harry down the stairs and into the kitchen once again.

There he stood. In Mrs. Weasley's impeccably clean kitchen. Severus Snape stood next to the headmaster with the same sneer and billowing black cloak on as always.

"What is going on?"

All attention turned to Harry and the others as everyone finally realized that they were there.

"We are exhausting all possible resources to make sure the Ms. Brooks isn't a death eater, Harry." Dumbledore said simply.

The sparkle had returned to his eyes and he seemed happy about finally being able to let Riley go if all turned out well.

"How are you going to do that sir?" Harry asked concernedly and sending a glance towards Snape, who just sneered in return.

"Legilimency." Dumbledore answered.

"Is she okay with that sir?"

"Legilimency is more effective if the person is unaware Potter. We have to assume that this girl is more skilled at Occlumency then you." Snape said in that greasy voice of his.

Harry resisted the urge to glare at his ex-potions professor.

"We are going to need you all to stay down here while we perform the spell. Where's Hermione?"

Everyone started looking around, but Harry answered quickly, "She's asleep Professor."

Dumbledore nodded his head, "That is probably for the best."

Dumbledore turned to Snape and nodded his head. They both turned and walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Harry went to the doorway and watched as they ascended each flight of stairs. Finally Mrs. Weasley came and grabbed his arm and pushed him back into the room while quickly shutting the door. For some reason her stomach was churning.

------------

Riley was sitting in her chair. She was a little bit more comfortable then before because of the looser bonds. She heard two pairs of footsteps coming up the stairs. At first she was curious, but waved it off as the other 'watcher' showing up so Harry was just tagging along. Riley kept her eyes closed and let her head fall foreword.

The door opened softly and she heard the two people step into the room and shut the door softly behind them. Neither of them said anything.

The hairs on the back of Riley's neck stood up. Her eyes snapped open and she looked up quickly.

"_Legilimens!_"

Riley's mouth opened in shock as the greasy man standing next to the headmaster invaded her mind. She wasn't prepared to have someone enter her memories, but at this point there wasn't much she could do about it. As quickly as she could she strengthened the barriers in certain parts of her mind. There were things that shouldn't come out. Ever. She just hoped that they were smart enough to realize that.She was reaching the last string, but before she could hide it away, it was pulled from her grasp.

_The room wavered and Snape found himself watching a 15-year-old Riley laughing with a boy about the same age as her. She was on his back and he was spinning around as fast as he could._

"Stop." Riley said through gritted teeth. She could just barely make out Dumbledore and the hooked nose man's bodies. She knew where this trail of memories led. It wouldn't matter how much she wanted to protect them. She wouldn't be able to control it if they went much further.

_The image instantly changed. Snape found himself watching Riley as she opened up the door to a small house. She had a large smile on her face._

"_Hi everyone! I'm back!" She yelled as she pulled off her coat._

"Stop it." Riley's body was straining against the ropes.

_No one answered her. She turned around and started to look for the people that were supposed to be living there. _

"_Hello? Is anyone home?" She called._

_There was suddenly a thump coming from upstairs. Riley spun around and whipped out her wand._

_She gracefully snuck up the stairs and kept her back to the wall, as she made sure the hall was clear. She looked around. It appeared there was a struggle. There were scorch marks on the walls and a small table lay broken on the floor with shattered picture frames surrounding it._

_Riley finally reached the last door in the hall. She gently nudged it open with her foot and quickly stopped herself from grimacing. _

_There in a puddle of their own blood, lay Jason's parents. His father's eyes stayed wide in shock as they slowly took on a glassy appearance. He was already dead, but the mother's chest was still raising and falling sporadically._

"You need to stop this! Please!"

Her cries were ingnored as Snape continued delving further into the memory.

_Riley rushed into the room and ignored the blood that was soaking into the hem of her pants. For just a brief moment she wondered if there would ever be an end to the blood in her life. She dropped to her knees and gathered the older woman into her arms pulling her out of the blood and onto her lap._

"_Mrs. Colman! What happened?!" Riley asked quickly._

"_J-Jason." _

_Riley tilted her head and leaned foreword just in time to hear the dieing woman's last words. _

"_They took Jason. The dar-"_

_The woman's body fell limp in Riley's arms though she barely noticed. _

"_They took Jason."_

"Stop it! You don't want to know where this goes!"

_Snape watched as the seen changed yet again. Riley was in a small unrecognizable apartment. She was standing over a pensive as she took a vile labeled '1' out of the box and placed it in the basin. She leaned foreword and Snape was dragged with her._

_The new scene developed and revealed the same boy Riley had been with earlier. Except his shirt was torn and blood was running down his face._

"_I can make all the pain go away. All you need to do is tell me what I want to know."_

_Snape whipped his head around. He knew that voice. It was the voice of the Dark Lord. _

_The boy shook his head. _

"_I don't know anything and even if I did I wouldn't." He replied._

"_Don't talk to the Dark Lord that way you little brat, CRUCIO!" _

_That was Lucious Malfoy's voice. _

_Snape watched as the boy writhed in pain and heard a gasp come from next to him. It was Riley. She was leaning against the wall as tears streamed down her face._

"STOP IT!" Riley yelled out as a stray tear streamed down her cheek.

_Snape suddenly found himself in pure black. As if there were no more memories for him to see. _

"I need help headmaster, she's blocked me out."

Dumbledore nodded his head and pointed his wand at the crying girl.

"_Legilimens!_" Both Dumbledore and Snape yelled out again.

Riley felt the barriers in her mind shatter as the ropes that bound her to the chair tore. There were screams. None of them her own, but all were crying out in pain for help. There were thousands of voices. Thousands of memories flashed before her eyes and the two wizards in front of her. There were memories of her own mixed with those of the hurt voices that rang in her head. The noise grew and grew until it reached a crescendo and Riley felt something shattering. She tried as hard as she could to hold the pieces of their lives together, but slowly each one ripped and tore at her own soul. She felt her mind straining trying to hold everything together, but something triggered it. A voice. A voice she hadn't heard in a long time screaming out as it died. It was her voice.

Dumbledore and Snape could only watch as the disturbing images flew through their minds. There were memories of a children getting beaten. Memories of grown men being murdered and their wives being taken from them, of blood and battlefields. It was pure pain and all of it was coming from the girl in front of them.

Quickly, without even realizing that they had both used Occlumency they shielded themselves from Riley's memories, but for some reason neither of them could release the spell.

Riley's body contorted as her back arched off of the chair. Tears were streaming down her face as her mouth opened wide in a silent scream. Her hair was whipping about her wildly and wind seemed to fill the small room. Suddenly, what appeared to be ghosts shot out from her body. Each remained attached to her as it wailed a horrible sound. They were faces. Even though they were distorted it was still obvious that they were faces. The room started trembling as each of the ghosts let out its horrible shriek.

"CAN YOU BREAK YOUR BOND SEVERUS?!" Dumbledore had to yell over the noise even though Snape was only a foot away from him.

Snape didn't even try to answer. All he did was shake his head.

The door suddenly burst open and Harry and Hermione came running in. Hermione froze at the sight of the wail spirits that were coming from Riley. There were thirteen in total. Harry saw the turmoil and turned to see Dumbledore and Snape still pointing their wands at Riley's head. He ran over and shoved them both down to the ground, breaking their connection to Riley.

The shrieks changed. It sounded like they were still screaming while sucking in air. Riley's wings burst out of her back and suddenly each of the spirits appeared to be sucked back into her body and the room returned to silence.

Hermione ran over to Riley's still figure as the winged girl's back lay over the back of the chair. Hermione quickly gathered the girl into her arms and fell down to the ground with her. It was hard to maneuver the girl when she had eight-foot wings coming out of her back.

Riley looked different. Besides the wings, her hair had changed black and had gone stick straight. There was what looked like Japanese characters covering every inch of her skin except for her face. Her mouth was shut and her eyes closed as she lay limply in Hermione's arms. But the scariest part, at least to Hermione, Riley wasn't breathing.

Hermione quickly shifted Riley onto the ground in front of her and kneeled over the girl's motionless body while gently pushing one of her wings out of the way.

"Riley? Come on Riley wake up." Hermione lightly hit the girl's cheek, but got no response.

"Riley! You have to breathe." Still there was no response.

Hermione placed her face next to Riley's mouth and nose and felt that there was a light stream of hot air being blown out.

Hermione sighed. She moved her fingers delicately over Riley's eyelids and slowly lifted them up together. Hermione's hand shot back as she muffled the scream that wanted to escape.

Riley's golden eyes had turned pure white. There was no pupil or color to them at all.

Harry walked over to see what had happened and noticed for the first time the changes of the girl. He had to stop himself from screaming as well.

Harry spun on his heel to look at the two men that were standing against the wall.

"WHAT WERE YOU DOING?!" Harry yelled while pointing to Riley.

Dumbledore sighed pinched the bridge of his nose as if to try and get rid of a migraine.

"It was the only way to be sure or not if she was working for Voldemort." He said quietly, "And now we know that she's not."

"OH WELL A WHOLE LOT OF GOOD THAT'S GOING TO DO NOW THAT SHE IS BASICALLY COMATOSE!"

"She has wings."

Harry turned his attention back to Snape and resisted the urge to punch him.

"Yes. So, what now you can see them? Before no one did." Hermione said as she stroked Riley's hair.

"We'll have her moved to St. Mungos and have Order members stationed around her." Dumbledore said softly as he gazed down on the immobile girl.

"No."

Everyone looked at Hermione.

"No. This is what the Order has done to her." Hermione said quietly while rubbing Riley's cheek gently. "The Order has done enough.

Hermione turned and looked up at Harry.

He quickly came over and gathered Riley into his arms while avoiding crushing her wings. He stood up and was slightly shocked by how little she weighed. Hermione walked straight past Dumbledore and Snape while Harry followed. Neither spared a glance back as they walked into the kitchen.

The room seemed to freeze in shock. Then again Harry couldn't really blame them. Riley now had wings, black hair, what appeared to be tattoos, and white eyes. Harry just passed them all and followed Hermione to the fire place and stepped in while watching Hermione grab a large handful of flew powder and stepping in with him and Riley.

Harry made sure to hold Riley tight to him. Hermione noticed her wings and quickly folded them up and held them so they wouldn't hit any of the fireplaces. With one last quick glance into the kitchen, Hermione threw down the fine powder and stated their destination leaving everyone else behind.

**What happened to Riley? Whats with the Japanese characters? Why is her hair black. Why is she always a bitch? What about Harry and Hermione? Who knew Hermione wore thongs? So many questions. There are answers and reasons for everything so far. You just don't know them yet!**

I was wondering. Should I bump the rating on this up to M? There is a lot of cussing. It might end up that way later anyways. So what did you think? Good? Bad? Any ideas that you would care to share? Input! I love it! So, PLEASE REVIEW! I like to hear about what you all think! I'm new to this site so I want the input. The next chapter should be up soon. Not as soon as this one came up, but soon. It's summer vacation! I have plenty of time to write, YAY! Anyways review and have a lovely week!


	5. Chapter 5: Selfish Motives

** A/N: Hey everyone! I'd like to thank all of you that reviewed! I want to reply to all of you, but my email hasn't been working. As soon as it gets fixed I'll send you a message**

I had a slight writers block on this chapter, hope it's up to your standards.

The song that you can play for thischapter is... Nobody's Listening by Linkin Park. There wasn't one song thatcompletely went with this chapter, but I think that this song fits!

ENJOY

Certain things would never cease to be an indicator of a hospital. The pure white walls, the smell of disinfectant, and the incessant beeping of the machine above Riley's head. She was awake. She had been awake ever since the nurse had led Hermione and Harry out of the room. Apparently she had been out for a while because the nurse told them that they needed to go and get some rest.

Being alone didn't bother her. In fact, it felt pretty nice. Her skin had stopped crawling now that no one was around. The voices were quieter now. It was one of the main reasons that Riley had fallen into a brief coma. To seal up the voices, the voices that those two buffoons had let out.

Human's never ceased to amaze her. She warned them not to go any further, but they did and now she was the one paying for it.

It was their fault that her sanity was even farther away from her. Their fault that she was in so much pain. It felt like every bone in her body was broken, every muscle torn, every tendon and ligament ripped. The pain was the Chaos's fault, but that slime ball of a man and Dumbledore had released them, so they were the ones to blame. The Chaos's did what was in their nature to do, cause chaos. It just so happened that her body was their playground.

Then again, it was in human's nature to only think about a single goal and not care about the damage that might be done to achieve that goal. So, Riley thought that she couldn't blame them, just like she couldn't blame the Chaos's. But human's were the reason that she had Chaos's in the first place, so the circle just continued to go around and around.

"_Might as well stop it now and just blame the humans."_ Whispered a voice in her head.

Riley could feel her wings strapped up in the air. It was one of the most uncomfortable positions for them to be in. Yet, Riley doubted if any of the medics here knew what the anatomy of a wing was.

It was the humans. Everything that happened to her was always the humans' fault. The Chaos's, the pain, the voices, the rebirth, the responsibility, and the humans caused it all.

The door to her room opened and a set of feet hit the ground. The person was wearing a heel, female.

Things Riley knew about nurses, they worked long shifts and they were always on their feet. No nurse in her right mind would wear high heels. That's why when Riley heard the soft squirt of liquid being pushed out of a syringe; every muscle in her body went into high alert.

The woman leaned over her and turned over her arm looking for a vein.

Suddenly Riley disappeared from the bed and reappeared behind the woman holding her left arm behind her back while holding the other one with the syringe to the woman's slender neck. Riley's hand clamped tightly over the girl's making sure that the needle was barely touching the pulse point.

Ok, so maybe Riley didn't get all of the Chaos's. To late to worry about it now though.

"Now, what exactly were you going to inject me with?" Riley moved her arm a little and pressed the needle a little harder into the girl's neck, "Or do I need to find out myself?"

The woman struggled, but Riley pulled harder on the woman's left arm hearing the pop in the girl's wrist.

"It-it's a sedative!"

Riley tilted her head slightly and placed her cheek right against the woman's on the opposite side of the syringe.

"A sedative huh?" Riley said, "Why not just use a sleeping potion? Well… why don't we find out?"

Riley pushed the syringe until just the tip broke the surface of her skin.

"NO! Stop it!"

"So you _were_ lying to me." Riley said with a grin.

Riley finally looked down at the woman. She was about 5' 6", so just an inch shorter then Riley herself. The woman was wearing a dark blue business jacket and a matching blue pencil skirt. She definitely didn't work in the hospital.

"Why don't you tell me what's _really_ in this syringe?" Riley whispered against the woman's cheek.

"It's a cleaning potion! It goes into the blood stream and removes all foreign bodies! It is to get rid of the black marks on your skin." The woman cried out while trying to pull away from Riley.

"The black marks will go away soon enough. But on to my next question, why is a business woman here instead of a nurse and you best answer me because I'm fairly sure that this stuff won't feel to good making a run through your veins."

"The Ministry of Magic sent me! You're appearance was reported immediately to the Department of Mysteries and the Minister."

"Riley! Stop it!"

Riley turned her colorless eyes to Hermione. She was standing next to Harry and trembling slightly at the appearance of her friend conscious. Riley wasn't supposed to look like that.

"Don't hurt her!" Hermione said while trying to take step forewords, but Harry held her back.

"Why not?" The voice that came from Riley's throat was almost a growl, "She's human. I'd just be returning the favor."

Even as the words spilled from Riley's mouth. The winged girl let the Ministry employee go, but kept a hold of the syringe. The woman quickly scrambled to her feet and ran over to the other side of the room. It was subtle, but the room started shaking.

"Riley what's wrong with you? How is hurting her returning the favor?! She hasn't done anything to you!" Hermione yelled.

"Humans are the ones that did this to me. I. Hate. Humans." It sounded like multiple voices were coming out of Riley's mouth at the same time, but none of them were hers.

Hermione looked at her curiously before taking a step back.

"Humans are the reason that I'm still here. The reason that instead of dieing like I was suppose to, I was reborn like this!"

"Ri-Riley… what? You're human, so what are you talking about?" Hermione asked.

"Does this look human to you? You already figured it out Hermione. I'm a Guardian Angel, created by the very thing I have to protect."

"Ri-Riley…" Hermione pleaded. She wanted this to stop, she wanted Riley to go back to the way she was when she had first met her on the street corner.

The woman that had lain forgotten by the rest now silently crept up behind Riley while staying about 8 feet away from her. She pulled out another syringe from her pocket and held it level in the palm of her hand. She watched silently as the demonic looking girl glared down the two other teens.

"Ever wondered why I was such a bitch to everyone else? Here's your answer. I hate them. I hate them because they are all the same. I've seen what they can do. Watched as they take innocent lives just because they can. Every time I see a human, it makes my skin crawl."

The syringe flew through the air and embedded itself into Riley's neck. Her back tensed as she reached up and ripped the needle out of her skin. Riley turned her head and looked at the woman standing behind her with her wand out.

"Bitch."

If there had been any color in Riley's eyes, they all would have seen how they rolled up as she fell to the ground. The entire room went still.

The Ministry woman hurried over to Riley's unconscious body and pulled out a rubber band and quickly tied it around Riley's upper bicep. The woman started slapping the skin

"What are you doing?" Harry inquired stepping forewords.

"I'm taking a sample of her blood."

"You can't do that." Hermione stated while watching the woman,

"I have permission from the Minister himself."

Hermione shook her head and grabbed onto the woman's shoulder while pulling her back.

"It doesn't matter. That is a violation of her rights."

"Does it look like I care?" The woman then turned back to Riley and started squeezing the tendon that closes Riley's fist in order to get the blood to flow.

"Why are you doing this? What does the ministry want?"

The woman whipped her head around and leveled the two with a glare.

"It does not concern you."

Turning back to the task at hand, the woman pulled out a needle and quickly stuck it into the engorged vein in Riley's arm. She reached back and quickly pulled out a pressurized tube, connected it with the needle, and watched in sick fascination as the blood gushed out into the tube.

Satisfied with the amount of blood that she had gotten she quickly undid all of her work while screwing the tube shut and placing a cotton ball against the small bleeding dot on Riley's arm. The markings seemed to writhe underneath Riley's skin, but stopped moving after only a second.

The professional looking woman stood up and walked straight past the two stunned teenagers.

"Wait! Are you just going to leave her there?"

The woman turned around and faced Hermione.

"She's not my problem anymore."

With that the woman walked out of the room leaving the two teenagers alone with Riley's unconscious body.

"What is going on?"

Harry just looked at Hermione briefly in response and then lifted Riley back off the floor taking her back to the bed.

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

"Are they ever coming back?" Ginny inquired as she paced around the sofa in the living room. "I mean… they've been gone for 3 days!"

Mrs. Weasley walked around the oak coffee table and stopped Ginny from pacing.

"I'm sure that Harry and Hermione will be back soon. You just have to be patient."

"What could they possibly be doing there?! It's not like there is much to do in St. Mungo's." Ginny exclaimed.

"Be patient."

Mrs. Weasley offered her daughter a comforting smile. The older redhead turned and left the living room leaving her hotheaded daughter to entertain herself.

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

"We need to talk."

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

"Why do you always have to be sarcastic?"

"Why do you always know everything?"

"Are you calling me a know-it-all?!"

"No, I simply asked why you know everything. I never said the words 'it' or 'all'."

"Everything implies the same thing!"

"See you do know everything."

"I do not!"

"What's the square root of 4096?"

"64, but everyone knows that."

"Hey, nurse!"

The nurse paused and looked into the room where the girl had called.

"What's the square root of 4096?"

"What's a square root?"

"HA!"

"Can you two just stop it?"

Riley leaned back in her hospital bed.

"Have to ruin all the fun, Harry." Riley sighed.

"How does that woman not know what square roots are?"

Riley laughed and flicked Hermione on the head.

"Square roots are a pretty muggle thing. Wizards just use magic to solve everything."

There was a tone of insult hidden in Riley's voice.

"Well, yes, but wizards are doing a lot of good."

"Like discovering ways to inflict lots of pain with very little effort. Muggles at least have to do some physical stuff to cause pain." Riley reminded Hermione.

"Well you don't see any wizards running around like Hitler-" Hermione slapped herself in the forehead, "That was stupid."

Riley nodded her head and held up her hand pinching her forefinger and thumb together, "Just a wee bit."

"Girls!"

Riley and Hermione both whipped around to see Harry still leaning against the doorframe.

"What?"

Sometimes, Harry swore that they were sisters. It was even creepier when they answered at the same time like that.

"Are you ready to go home yet?" He asked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world

"YES!"

"No."

Riley turned and stared at Hermione like she was insane.

"What do you mean no? I want to go home!"

Hermione sighed, "We have to wait until they release you Riley."

"They just did. You didn't notice the doctor that just came and told us that she could leave?" Harry asked.

"What?"

"Apparently not."

"HA!" Riley jumped up out of the bed and started looking for her clothes, "I finally get to go home, haha."

Riley quickly found her pants, well Hermione's pants to be specific and slid them on underneath her hospital gown and then moved onto her shirt.

"Wait." Riley and Hermione turned around and faced Harry, "Where are we going?"

For a second they all just thought. Riley slowly pulled her shirt over her head and kicked away the discarded gown.

"I think Riley's place. We would be the only one's there and we wouldn't have to deal with the Order." Hermione said quietly.

"I like that idea!" Riley replied quickly.

"That's only because you don't like the Order." Harry said.

Riley grumbled, "I have plenty of reason to."

Harry felt a little bad for bringing it up.

Riley had woken up two days after that woman had taken some of her blood. Apparently the drug that she had given Riley was a narcotic, it had held Riley under for a while. The markings, wings, and black hair had all disappeared when she had woken up. Hermione had almost immediately asked about it, but all Riley did was shake her head and mumble the word 'later'. For a day she had barely talked at all. She had stared at the ceiling and kept her hand over her heart. The next day she had started talking and acting normally. She told them that she would explain later. How far away 'later' was, was anyone's guess.

Hermione figured, _I've been waiting in a hospital for 8 days, I think I can wait a little longer._ Harry was thinking along the same lines.

"You guys ready or are you just going to stand there?" Riley asked.

Harry shook his head, "Right. Come on."

Riley practically sprinted out of her room into the hall.

"Hey Riley?"

Riley stopped walking down the hall and turned to Hermione.

"How are we going to get to your house?"

Suddenly Riley's entire body tensed as if she had been reminded of a very bad memory. She slowly turned around and kept her head down.

"…Where's my motorcycle?" Riley inquired hesitantly.

Hermione tilted her head, her motorcycle? Oh, that motorcycle.

"Um…" Harry started to answer, missing Hermione's attempts to stop him, "I think the Order decided to let Mr. Weasley take it apart to see if there were any spells placed on it. Then again he probably would have taken it apart anyways."

Hermione almost wanted to cry in fear. Riley was not going to take this well.

"…Apart?"

"Well, pieces I'd assume. Mr. Weasley has an affinity for muggle objects and he seems to like looking at all the individual parts." Harry replied.

Riley looked down and asked quietly, "Where _exactly _is Mr. Weasley?"

Hermione jumped foreword and covered Harry's mouth with her hand.

"No. Riley. It's only a bike."

Riley looked up. She was pissed.

"It was my bike! My favorite bike that I have had for years! You have no idea how much shit that bike has gotten me out of."

"Riley. What would you do even if you found Mr. Weasley? He already would have taken apart your bike."

"I'd pay him back. An eye for an eye, my bike for his house. I'd take what's left of my bike because it meant something to me!"

Riley spun on her heel and started off down the hall again.

"Riley!" Hermione yelled.

She quickly grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him down the hall as she tried to catch up with Riley.

"Riley stop! There's nothing you can do about your bike now."

They had finally reached Riley and Hermione grabbed her arm.

"Riley it's just a bike."

With a quick turn Riley was now facing Hermione and Harry.

"It was _my_ bike!" She growled, "What? Were they just _trying_ to figure out ways to make me miserable? That _bike _was important to me. I didn't do anything to any of them to start out with! Yet, they seem to think they have the _right_ to tie me to a chair for a week. Destroy my personal possessions. Feed me like I was a pig. Look through my memories, my _life_, to judge whether I was trustworthy. Release the Chaos's, the beings that are a constant reminder that I'm not in control. Is that right to you?"

Hermione hesitated.

"Is it?" Riley asked, "Is it right for human's to treat anything else this way. This species has a strange need to exert power over _everything_ else and I don't understand it. So, if you think it's right, then tell me. Explain it to me. Explain to me, how some evil is supposed to be destroyed by a light that is the _exact same_. Because I really do not understand it."

Riley seemed to calm down and take a step back away from Hermione and Harry. There were unshed tears in her eyes, but she kept eye contact with Hermione.

Hermione wanted so badly to look away, but for some reason she couldn't.

"And these are the same people that Jason died for." Riley let out a laugh that was anything but funny. "These are the people that he thought would set the world right."

Riley ran her hand through her hair and pushed it away from her teary eyes. She bit her lip and shook her head then turned around and started walking down the hall. There was no answer coming from the know-it-all girl. Maybe there was no one that could make Riley understand. Thinking about it, maybe she didn't want to.

"Come on. I'm hoping you both know how to Apparate." Riley said quietly.

Hermione and Harry looked at each other and then quickly took off after Riley.

"You don't have Apparation wards on your house?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Of course I do." Riley responded, "We're going to be Apparating in an alley about 5 miles away from my house."

The footsteps behind Riley stopped and she turned around to see Hermione and Harry looking at her hesitantly.

"Side-along Apparation. I'm not making you Apparate to somewhere you have never been."

"Right, but it's 5 miles away." Hermione worriedly stated.

"Trust me, five miles won't seem that far. There's a bunch of little shops around there where we can grab something to eat really quickly. Then I'll have clothes for both of you at my house." Riley said while pressing the button for the lift.

Hermione looked at Harry quickly, "I don't think that either of us have money."

Riley smiled softly, "Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

"What? Riley you don't have to spend-"

"Hermione, don't worry about it. Besides it's only food."

The lift dinged, stopping Hermione from arguing. They each filed in and stayed quiet as Riley pressed the button for the top floor.

"Riley?"

"Hm?" She responded.

"I'm sorry." Hermione said quietly.

"There's no reason for you to be sorry."

They all exited the lift as the ringing stopped. Riley grabbed them and took them out onto the roof.

Riley turned around and smiled at them though it didn't seem to reach her eyes the way it had before she was admitted to St. Mungo's.

"You two ready to get out of this place?"

Hermione shot a worried glance over at Harry.

"Riley we-"

Riley walked over and pushed Hermione lightly, "Lighten up. I'll tell you everything you need to know in due time. Before that… we need to get you food."

Riley said with a grin. Riley put both of her arms out to the side and tilted her head.

"Well? Come on? I don't bite if that's what you're worried about." Riley winked at them, but only Harry understood why.

Hermione looked at Harry and then back at Riley and raised her eyebrow.

"Coming or not?" Riley asked.

They both walked foreword and wrapped their arms tightly around Riley.

"Well now, isn't this cozy?"

Suddenly all three of them felt like they were being squeezed through a tiny tube as they disappeared from St. Mungo's with a loud pop.

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

"That's it! I'm going to go find them. It has been 8 days and Harry is _still_ there with Hermione waiting for that girl to wake up. He's _supposed_ to still like me!" Ginny yelled while slapping the table.

Ron stood up and pushed his chair further back.

"I'll come with you Gin."

"Alright, whatever. Just hurry up." Ginny replied.

Ginny quickly grabbed a handful of floo powder and scooted over as Ron stepped in with her.

"St. Mungo's Hospital For Magical Maladies And Injuries!"

With the swirl of soot and lick of green flames they soon found themselves on the main floor of St. Mungo's.

"Which floor do you suppose they would be on?" Ron asked when they reached floor guide.

Ginny reached over and hit Ron upside the head.

"Read you dimwit!"

Ron spun around and faced his little sister. "Well _Gin_, We don't exactly know what made that girl all wingy and tattooed now do we?"

People were starting to watch the bickering siblings. They were both making quite a scene.

"She went all 'wingy and tattooed' after they performed Legilimency on her. Most likely they would be on the fourth floor for spell damages. If you ever used that pea-sized organ that is located between your ears, you would have known that! Or maybe if you had an ounce of decency to care, that might help to."

Ron raised his eyebrow, "And you do? The only reason you're here is because you don't want Harry to get a new girlfriend!"

Ginny looked affronted and yelled, "Well you're only here to make sure that Harry and Hermione aren't snogging each other's brains out!"

"EXCUSE ME!!"

Both of the fiery red heads whipped around to face the woman at the Reception desk.

"WHAT?!"

The reception witch's eye started twitching.

"Why don't you just tell me the name of the persons you are looking for and I will be able to find out for you."

The witch's voice sounded strained as she kept herself from lashing out at the two disrespectful kids.

Ginny looked at Ron with a questioning look.

"What's the girl's name?"

Ron shrugged, "How am I supposed to know?"

"Well, a great deal of help that's going to do us Ronald!"

Ginny quickly turned around and faced the reception witch.

"Our friends, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger came in here 8 days ago with a girl that had wings. Is there any chance that you would know where they are?" Ginny asked trying to be polite.

Once again the woman's eye twitched, but she immediately replied, "They are on the Fourth floor. Ask for Riley Brooks' room. The nurses up there should be able to point you in the right direction."

"Thank you." Ginny quickly grabbed Ron's arm and dragged him to the stairs.

After climbing stairs for several minutes they finally reached the Spell Damages floor the walked up to another reception desk.

"Hello, excuse us, but where is Riley Brooks room?" Ginny asked sweetly. They definitely didn't need any more witches angry at them today.

The bright-eyed woman smiled and ran her finger down a long sheet of parchment.

"Hmm… Riley Brooks, Riley Brooks, Brooks… Brooks. Ahh here she is." The woman said in an overly cheery voice, "Room 413, Brenda Warbats ward: incurable spell damage."

The woman had the biggest brightest smile on her face that it made the two red-heads want to grimace.

"Thank you." Ginny said, still trying to be pleasant. She quickly spun on her heal and started walking down the hall.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

Ginny turned around and raised her eyebrow at the witch.

"Um, Brenda Warbats ward, to see our friends."

"Oh, well that would be impossible."

Still the freakishly large smile stayed on and Ginny was quickly loosing her patience.

"And why is that?" She asked.

"Riley Brooks was discharged an hour ago. Her and her friends left."

Ginny turned to Ron and glared at him, he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Do you know where they went by any chance?" Ginny growled.

The nurse smiled again, "I'm sorry, but I cannot disclose that information. I'm sure that if they are your friends, they will contact you soon."

Ginny couldn't take it any more.

"I HATE THAT GIRL!"

She screamed and stomped off down the stairs leaving everyone to stare after her. Ron looked around and decided that it was definitely time to go and took off after his sister.

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

3 club sandwiches, a walk, and a few drinks later, Harry, Hermione, found themselves sitting at the counter in Riley's magnificent house while Riley was rummaging in the cabinets.

"Do you two ever drink?" Riley asked over her shoulder.

There was a second of silence and Riley turned around to look at the quiet witch and wizard in her house.

"Let me guess, you've drank butterbeer and that's it?"

Hermione and Harry nodded and Riley disappeared and rummaged through the cabinets underneath the counter.

"You're going to need something stronger then that. Let's stick with the muggle stuff though. Don't need either of you two getting too plastered."

Hermione raised her eyebrow, "Wait why do we need alcohol?"

Riley's hands suddenly appeared with three bottles as she reached up to set them on the counter. Hermione leaned foreword to see the labels.

_Bombay Sapphire_ - Gin

_Bianco Vermouth_ – Italian Vermouth

_Amer Picon, 52 proof_ – Orange Bitters

Why Hermione knew that she wasn't entirely sure.

Suddenly another bottle appeared and Hermione once again started inspecting it.

_1800 Reserva Reposado Tequila, 86 proof_

Riley stood up and looked at Hermione and Harry.

"Theoretically, someone tells you that Voldemort is going to destroy the world and there is nothing that you can do to stop it, what would make that information a little easier to accept?" Riley asked.

"Being drunk?" Hermione said quizzically.

Riley snapped and smiled, "Correct."

The blonde haired girl elegantly crossed the room and opened up one of the cabinets, revealing glasses of all kinds.

"Now the question is…" Riley said while turning around to face them again, "Would you rather have a sipping drink, or something that works fast?"

"Riley, is this really necessary?" Hermione sighed.

"Trust me. It is best to get this out of the way now… instead of me rummaging to get this stuff later."

Harry looked at Hermione. With just that one look she could tell that he thought that they should just get it over with.

"Fine." Hermione said defeatedly, "Fast."

Riley smiled and deftly grabbed three shot glasses without even looking. Riley returned to the island in the kitchen and she gently placed the first three bottles she had taken out back underneath the counter.

Harry and Hermione watched as Riley unscrewed the black bottle and poured the amber liquid into the three small glasses. Somehow, without Riley even looking, they were all level.

Riley set the tequila on the marble countertop without resealing the bottle. She grabbed the two outside glasses and placed them delicately in front of her two confused friends.

"I would wait to drink that until after you two ask some questions." Riley said as she downed her shot and poured another.

"Why? Is it like Firewhiskey or something?" Harry asked while he inspected the different alcohol.

Riley chuckled, "It burns about as much as Firewhiskey, just without the steam coming out of your ears. I would suggest not drinking it until later because there is a possibility that you could get a buzz off of that one shot."

"Buzz? Like sloshed?" Hermione asked while she looked down through the tequila to the bottom of the glass.

"Not quite sloshed… If sloshed means what I think it means. A buzz is more like… the beginning of getting drunk." Riley explained.

"Oh." Came Hermione's reply.

"So…" both of the girls turned their attention onto Harry, "Do we get to ask questions now?"

"I suppose you just did." Riley said with a grin.

"Please, Riley can we avoid the sarcasm for this." Hermione begged.

"Fine… ask away."

"What's with the wings?" Harry asked immediately.

Riley smiled, "I'm a Guardian Angel… wings come with the job description."

"Sarcasm!"

"It's not hindering your questioning." Riley said with a smirk.

"Fine."

"Girls!" Once again Harry had all attention. "Thank you. Guardian Angel? Like in God and all that stuff?"

Riley shook her head, "No. Well at least, not that I'm aware of."

Harry looked confused and asked, "Then what _is_ a Guardian Angel?"

"A Guardian Angel is a person that protects certain 'charges', people that they are assigned to protect. They are assigned to them because the 'higher powers' that assign the charges, detect that the angel will actually care for their charge."

"You're saying that the only reason you stopped that day was because you had to?" Hermione snapped.

Riley downed her other shot quickly and set the glass back onto the counter.

"Hermione. I can't help you unless I actually care."

Riley sighed and rubbed her temples, "Look, I don't know who my charges are to start out with. I am told to go to a certain country in a certain time era. I figure out who my charges are by the people that I actually want to help. I actually stopped because I wanted to help you. I wouldn't be able to protect you or help you otherwise."

"So… you actually stopped because you wanted to help me?" Hermione asked quietly.

Riley smiled lightly and nodded.

"Okay, my turn, who are your charges? And why are you telling us this? Wouldn't you keep that secret normally?" Harry asked.

"It is almost always a secret. I'm telling you two because circumstances made it impossible for you to trust me unless I am honest with you. You both are two smart to not be suspicious." Riley said simply, "And any of my other charges will most likely be revealed to you eventually."

There was a moment of silence and Riley refilled her shot glass again.

"How many are there?"

Riley looked at Hermione and raised her eyebrow, "What? Guardian Angels?"

Getting a nod from Hermione Riley continued, "There's seven. Why?"

"I was wondering why the world wasn't a better place if there were Guardian Angels." Hermione replied honestly.

Riley just smiled and shrugged.

"So… you were born a Guardian Angel?" Harry inquired.

"No." It was a very simple reply.

"Then what were you?"

"Mortal."

"Then how did you become a Guardian Angel?" Harry asked, beyond confused.

"I died."

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

There was silence in the dinning room at Grimmauld Place. The grimy oak table was covered with parchment and books that each person had thought might be useful, but the meeting had come to a standstill. No one could offer a plausible explanation.

Slowly, one by one, each of the Order members looked to the head of the table where the supposedly dead headmaster sat with his fingers laced beneath his long white beard.

"Does anyone else have an idea as to what happened here 8 nights ago?" Asked the intelligent old man.

No one said anything as they each looked down at the parchments in front of them.

"Is there a possibility that she was performing a transfiguration in an attempt to get away?"

Dumbledore turned his attention to the transfiguration professor.

"No. The transfiguration would not explain the beings that appeared from her body." Dumbledore said softly.

Once again the room lapsed into silence.

"It was dark magic! That's the only thing that could explain that retched girl." Molly stated from her seat.

"I have to agree with Molly, Headmaster. I don't see any other way to explain wings, colorless eyes, black tattoos, and beings exploding from her body." Stated Hestia Jones.

Dumbledore nodded his head slowly in acknowledgement.

"I agree, but the question is… what dark magic?" Dumbledore stated.

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

"You died?!" Hermione asked.

Riley just shrugged.

"What? You can't just shrug! So, what? A person just has to die at the right time and they are made a Guardian Angel?"

Riley sighed, "No. The person dieing has to be a witch or wizard that dies by magic while saving the life of another magic person that they don't know. It can't be accidental though."

"Wow." Harry said, "I guess that's a pretty noble way to die though."

"For most." Came Riley's static reply.

"Wait. So what's the story behind you becoming a Guardian Angel, Riley?" Hermione asked.

"I was killed to save my father's life." Riley said evenly.

"Wait… I thought you said that you had to save the life of someone you didn't know." Harry said.

"I didn't know my father."

"Riley… can you just tell us the whole story, please? I hate doing the guessing game with you." Hermione pleaded.

Riley shrugged.

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

"It is most likely that it was dark magic that gave her the ability to do wand-less magic." Moody growled. "It's the only way that someone like that would have enough power to alter reality."

Dumbledore nodded slightly. It wasn't often that someone could change what a person thought they saw.

"It could be a spell that is meant to give a person the ability to control other people's minds. That would explain the illusion that she created." Snape replied. It had been decided that he would not return to the Dark Lord again.

"Controlling people's minds?! She could be controlling Harry and Hermione right now! Just imagine what she could do." Cried Molly Weasley.

"Calm down Molly. I am positive that they are not under that girl's control." Arthur said, "Though the possibility still remains. This girl could have the power to do it without a wand."

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

"My father was diagnosed with an untreatable illness and was given a year to live. My mother was devastated, so she went in search of a way to save his life. She found a spell in China that was forbidden. It took someone else's life energy and traded it with another's. She paid a Chinese monk and came back to England with the monk in tow." Riley said simply.

Riley leaned back and rested on the counter behind her while keeping her eyes fixed on the two across the island from her.

"Mom told dad about the spell and had him get her pregnant. 9 months later, she had a baby. She immediately left the hospital and took her baby, blood and all, to a Catholic church where the monk was waiting. The spell needed to be performed on hallowed ground. So, the monk wrote a prayer and the incantation on the baby girl in Japanese. Why it was Japanese I don't know. Anyways after that my mother poured hot wax down the girl's throat. Supposedly to cause the pain that the dieing was feeling."

Hermione covered her mouth as she listened to Riley continue.

"After the monk started the incantation my mother held the child under water while yelling my father's name so that the life would know where to go. The baby drowned. The hot wax prevented the baby from breathing underwater like most can. The child's life went and inhabited my father's body and defeated the illness."

Riley finished and shrugged.

"That's it. There wasn't much more to it."

"Your mother killed you?" Harry asked incredulously.

Riley just cocked her head to the side, "My mother killed her baby."

"But that baby was you!" Hermione yelled.

"No. That baby would have been a completely different person from me. That baby thought that her mother loved her. People don't realize, but children learn the parent's voices in the womb, they think too. That baby heard her mother talking to her, how she was going to save her father. That baby thought that she was loved and that her mother would never hurt her. I have no such delusions."

"That baby already had a personality. She was happy, and quiet, loving, shy, and optimistic. That baby is nothing like me." Riley said.

Hermione grabbed the shot in front of her and downed the amber liquid, shuddering as it slipped down her throat. She looked over to see that Harry's shot was already gone too. Hermione stood up and knocked back the shot that Riley had in her glass too.

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

"What are we going to do about her sir? Harry and Hermione seemed to have grown attached to her. Even while they aren't under her control." Stated Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Everyone turned their attention to the former headmaster.

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

"It was still you." Hermione said weakly.

"In a way."

What happened to them… your parents?" Harry asked.

"They moved to Germany. They have three kids. A boy and two girls, Thomas, Stacie, and Heather." Riley said.

"And you're alone." Hermione said sadly.

"Always was. Just didn't realize it until my mortal memories started coming back."

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

Dumbledore slowly stroked his long white beard.

"We can already tell that she harbors a lot of hate towards us for some reason. She's not to be trusted. She is not allied with Voldemort, but she is a threat on her own."

The entire table waited with baited breath to hear what Dumbledore decided needed to be done.

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

"How could a mother do that to her own child?" Harry asked. Still reeling from the fact that a mother could kill her own child

"Everyone human has their price. I wasn't her child though. I was the solution to her problem." Riley stated.

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

"If she becomes any bigger of a risk. We will remove the threat." Dumbledore said quietly.

Everyone understood the meaning of those words and took them to heart.

"Until then, when Ms. Granger and Harry return. We will keep them away from the girl as much as possible."

Everyone nodded their heads.

"We can't loose Harry at a time like this. The fate of the wizarding world rests on his shoulders. This girl can't be the reason that we loose ourselves to the darkness."

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

"Human's think only of their goals. They use people and manipulate them to succeed, they'll even sacrifice their friends and family if they decide their goal is important enough." Riley said quietly while filling Harry and Hermione's glasses again.

Almost immediately both of the teens downed the shot.

>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>)>

The young man walked into his room with his head held high and his face an emotionless mask. He was the picture of perfected hatred, but as soon as the door closed his posture collapsed and the mask slipped away. The boy's breathing became ragged and came in and out in short bursts.

He moved gently across the green and silver room to stand in front of the full-length mirror. All he did for a few moments was watch as his impeccably white shirt slowly changed colors as the blood from his torso seeped into the cloth.

He moved his hands delicately to the buttons and undid them one by one. Try as he might he could barely hold in the groan that wanted to escape from his clamped lips. Once the final button was undone he let his arms fall to his sides and watched as the dress shirt slid past the defined muscles of his arms and torso.

To most women, he was one of the finest examples of what a man should look like. Muscular arms, toned chest, great six-pack, and just enough muscle. He was gorgeous in every way, even his face. He had the stormy eyes that any girl would loose themselves in. Full lips that looked absolutely kissable and an elegant bone structure that gave off the feel of aristocracy. The only thing that marred his beauty was the black and blue bruises and cut that crossed his chest.

He gently brushed his fingers across the quickly developing bruises and tried not to wince. It had been like this ever since he had returned home. He never seemed to measure up to his father's standards, but now it seemed like he was completely unworthy in the aging man's eyes.

Nothing he did met his father's expectations. It almost seemed like the older man didn't even care what his son did. He would punish him anyways.

"Why me?" The boy asked his reflection.

"The question isn't 'why me?' it's 'why _not_ me?" Came a feminine voice.

The boy whipped around expecting to see a girl standing in his room, but all he was met with was a cherry wood armoire, a kind size bed, and a writing desk.

He let out a sigh, "Must be hearing things."

"That _is_ what your ears are for love." Again the voice came, but he couldn't find the origin.

"Where are you? Show your self!" He hissed into the darkness of his room.

"Those are horrible bruises." The voice sounded sympathetic.

He felt a cool hand lying on his stomach over one of the bruises, but when he put his hand over the area all he felt was his own flushed skin. The hand slowly trailed up his stomach and came to rest on top of the gash. The coolness that emanated from its invisible touch soothed his hot skin.

"Why do you stay here? Why don't you just leave?" Asked the voice.

"What else am I suppose to do? I have no where to go." He voiced allowing some of his self-doubt to come through in his voice, but it still sounded harsh and grating.

"Why not go to the old man?"

"I must be going crazy. Hearing voices is not normal." He confessed.

"What does it matter? If I help then it doesn't matter if I'm a voice in your head… or outside it. If nothing else I would be saving you from another beating." The voice whispered.

The boy swore that he felt the woman's lips next to his ear.

"Leave." It was a quiet command from the voice.

"Leave. It is that simple. Go to Hogwarts. Confess. Admit that you were wrong, that you never wanted to go through with it, that you were going to ask for protection, just tell the truth." The voice whispered in his ear.

"They won't believe me." He said firmly.

"They might not, but there is someone else who might take you in.

"What are you talking about?" He said while spinning around to check his room again only to find it still as empty as when he entered.

"Leave. Confess. Plead." The voice said as the soft hand removed itself from his skin.

"Where are you?!" He spat, only this time, nothing answered him.

He turned back to the mirror and was shocked to see that the diagonal cut was healed. Blood still marred his pale skin, but there was no longer a laceration, not even a mark that would indicate he had ever been cut. The only proof that there was a gash was the left over blood. He was terrified and it wasn't often that he was even scared.

"GET OUT HERE NOW BOY!" Called his father's voice.

The boy looked back into the mirror and rubbed his stormy blue eyes, though it had no effect. When he opened them the gash was still gone. He shook his head.

"BOY!!"

He grabbed a new dress shirt and quickly buttoned it. Making his father angry at him would be an unwise decision. He hurried across the room and opened the door.

He shook his head once again. He wasn't sure if he was insane or not, but he knew that if he wasn't now… he definitely would be soon enough because of his father.

He paused and looked back at the full-length glass mirror once again before closing his door behind him.

**What does the Ministry want with Riley's blood? What about Riley's charges? Why isn't she telling Harry and Hermione? How is the Order going to keep Hermione and Harry away from Riley? Who's the guy? (As if you don't know) Why would his father beat him? Is he insane, and what's with the voice? ALL QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ANSWERED!!! When I'm not entirely sure, but they will be eventually.**

So, what did you think? Did it suck? Do you love it? Should I never write again? GIVE ME REVIEWS!!!! I'll love you for it!

HAVE A GOOD END OF THE WEEK!!


	6. Chapter 6: Not an Instruction Book!

**SORRY!!!** I'm so sorry this one has come out so late. I got really busy with work and summer school that I barely had any time to get on my computer to write this.

Personally, I don't like this chapter either. It felt like i had to put in so much information in so little time. Sorry about that.

Thank you so much to everyone that reviewed. It means a lot to me!

**Hmm... the song for this chapter is going to be. . . Long way to Happy by P!nk.** It describes how a certain character... see if you can tell which one.

OKAY NOW ON WITH THE MUCH DELAYED CHAPTER!

A soft breeze blew the light white curtains away from the French doors. It was warm in the golden room and the smell of cherry blossoms met Hermione as she awoke from her sleep.

Already, Hermione could feel the small headache gnawing in the back of her mind. She couldn't be sure whether it was from the tequila or trying to absorb too much information from the night before.

Hermione sat up and let the white and gold sheets fall away from her body. Slowly, she dragged her hand through her hair in a useless attempt to smooth it out. She let her hand fall and rest on the comfortable bed. It was the same bed that she had sat on the first time she had arrived at Riley's home. It was Riley's bed.

Hermione sighed as she remembered her futile attempt to convince Riley to let her sleep on the couch.

"_Don't worry about it. I'm not going to be able to sleep for a few days anyways besides it's not like there is a shortage of rooms in this house." Riley said with a smile while handing Hermione an oversized T-shirt._

"_Riley, why are you not going to be sleeping? Just take the bed and I'll sleep on the couch." Hermione pleaded, her words just slightly slurred._

_Riley shook her head, "It's fine. I need to get some things in order that were released, don't ask questions." Riley said, efficiently stopping Hermione from interrupting her._

"_You're too curious." Riley sighed with a smile, "Look, you got enough information to process in one night. You can always ask questions another day. Now go to sleep!" _

_Riley laughed and pushed Hermione's shoulder light enough to make her fall onto the bed behind her._

"_Goodnight." _

_Riley walked out the open door and quietly shut it behind her._

Hermione stood up and wobbled just slightly. Looking back on it, she was grateful that Riley hadn't told her anymore because if she had, Hermione definitely would have had a lot larger of a headache.

There was a fresh set of clothes laid out on a chair for Hermione. She could only assume that Riley had come in earlier and laid them out for her.

After getting dressed in the fresh underwear, sweat pants, and tank top, Hermione headed out into the hall.

The hall was more of a balcony. One side was open to the grand entrance, while the other side had doors leading to multiple bedrooms including the master suite, a separate bathroom, and a small study. Harry had been sleeping in the room directly next to the room that Hermione had slept in.

Hermione looked to the side and noticed that the bed inside was neatly made and Harry was nowhere to be seen. She let out a sigh, wondering how long she had slept in. Hermione turned around and decided that she should put Riley's bedroom back into order.

Down on the main floor on the other side of the house, Harry and Riley sat at the kitchen table relaxing. Riley was sitting up and leaned on her elbows as she had a staring contest with Harry. Harry was trying to keep from blinking, but his eyebrows were slowly knitting together. Finally after two minutes Riley raised her eyebrows at him and he caved.

"Staring contests are not you forte Mister Potter." Riley said teasingly.

"Well, I can't be good at everything now can I?" Harry joked back.

Riley laughed lightly and shook her head.

Harry was always a little taken a back when he watched Riley move. For some reason it seemed as if she knew exactly what her entire body was doing as she got up and walked to the refrigerator. It was slightly unnerving to him that she was that aware of herself. To him it translated into her being that aware of everything around her. It wasn't exactly the most comforting thought.

"Calm down. I'm not judging you." Riley's voice carried from the other side of the kitchen.

Harry was just about to ask her how she knew what he was thinking, but she beat him to the punch.

"Your facial expressions change with each of your thoughts. Water, milk, apple or orange juice?" Riley said while returning to looking in the refrigerator.

"What?" Harry asked before realizing what she meant, "Oh… er… Orange juice."

Riley grabbed the glass jug of orange juice and returned to the table after grabbing two cups. She gracefully poured Harry and herself a glass and smiled.

"It's also a magic thing." Riley said thoughtfully after taking a sip of her juice.

"What?" Harry inquired thinking that she was talking about the orange juice.

Riley laughed lightly, "You have obviously never had a random friend Harry."

"I'm answering your unasked question… How did I know what you were thinking? It's a magic thing." Riley answered.

"How so?"

"Well think about it." Riley started, "Your emotions are related to what you are thinking, right? And you know how when you get mad, magic tends to happen?"

Harry nodded his head and Riley continued.

"Well it's because you have magic in your body, and when a wizard or a witch gets mad it just causes the magic to react differently. Am I making sense so far?"

"Yeah." Harry replied.

Riley smiled, "Good. Now… that magic is always there and your emotions affect it."

Riley set her glass on the table.

"It's the reason that sometimes, the Unforgivable Curses don't work. You actually have to have the emotions behind that spell for it to be completely effective."

"It's the reason that you can tell if someone else is angry before they even do use magic. The room seems to shake, your skin heats up a little, and you get that constricting feeling in your chest, right?"

Harry nodded thinking about it. So far everything made sense.

"So, if you understand all of that, then the next part should be simple. Each emotion changes the magic… which means, that if you can feel magic when someone is angry…"

"Then you can feel their magic when they're happy?" Harry offered.

Riley smiled, "Yep. You just have to understand what magic feels like for each emotion, each state of mind."

"For you… when you were thinking about how I seemed unsettling to you, your magic takes on a different… tone."

Harry cocked his head to the side, "But how did you feel that? I have no idea what you are feeling right now… let alone thinking."

Riley laughed, "I've had _a lot_ more years to practice it. You just found out about it today. It's not something that you are instantly good at. Besides, when you first start, it takes a ton of concentration."

"So how do I do it?" Harry asked a little quickly.

Riley shook her head and smiled.

"You know… you and Hermione are both way too curious." Riley laughed, "Ok, close your eyes."

Harry quirked an eyebrow at Riley, he was comfortable around her, but he didn't completely trust her yet. Riley raised her eyebrow at him, but still he hesitated.

"I'm not going to molest you, now just close your eyes."

Harry chuckled slightly and did as he was told.

"Now, block everything else around you out, except for me. I'm going to be the person that you are trying to read, Ok?"

Harry nodded his head slightly.

"Don't think about anything else but me. Block out any of the other sounds that you are hearing, what the chair beneath you feels like, the aftertaste of your juice, just block it out."

Harry breathed in and out shallowly, trying not to feel any of the movement.

"Try to feel what I'm feeling. Try to feel what the magic in my body is doing. What color is it, is it fast, slow, soft, abrasive?"

For a few second nothing happened. Harry concentrated harder. His body seemed to start trembling as if there was something forcing power against his body. Suddenly he felt something cool and soft touch his cheek sending tremors throughout his body and he snapped his eyes open.

Riley sat there with her hands pressed together as she leaned forewords and rested her elbows on her knees.

Harry looked at her and leaned back in his seat while letting out a shaky sigh.

"It feels weird huh?" Riley said while resuming her perfect posture.

Harry nodded and took in a deep breath.

"You're kind of at a disadvantage and an advantage focusing on me though." Riley said while she refilled his glass of orange juice.

Harry picked up the glass and gulped down the liquid.

"What do you mean?" He breathed out.

Riley smiled, "Well, I have a lot of magic that can react to my emotions, but my emotions are pretty superficial. They're kind of… subdued."

Harry nodded and asked, "Why?"

"I suppose that it has a lot to do with what makes me a Guardian Angel, or maybe how I always feel what other people's magic is doing." Riley honestly answered.

"Do you always feel what my magic is doing?" Harry asked.

Riley shook her head, "I normally try not to. When I'm threatened I do. Or when I turn my back to people. Or when there are a lot of people around. In those conditions I can't stop it. With my charges I don't if we are just sitting together and thinking. If there is something wrong then I do, but other then that I don't."

"Oh."

Harry nodded and the room lapsed into silence. He definitely needed to sort out all of the information that he had learned in a short time, but there were still questions that needed to be asked and answered. It was kind of odd how Riley would ignore some questions while answering others. There must be a reason for it, but it was one of the reasons that Harry was still hesitant about trusting her.

He looked up at her to see if she could tell what he was thinking, but she sat there looking into her orange juice and seemed to ignore him. He sighed a breath of relief. Suddenly her eyes shot up and seemed to look straight through him. He quickly tried to cover the fact that he had been examining her by asking a question.

"Can you tell if someone is lying by feeling their magic?" Harry asked.

Riley raised her eyebrow as if she knew that he was watching her anyways.

"It depends." Riley shrugged.

Harry tilted his head ignoring the look that she had given him.

"On what?"

Riley smiled, "On how good of a liar they are. If they are bad at lying, you can tell just from their body language. Mediocre liars still have small indicators but their magic tends to go haywire from nervousness. Great liars show nothing at all because they can make themselves believe whole heartedly in that single lie for however long they need to."

"Oh." Harry replied.

Riley nodded her head and spun her glass around in her palms. Once again she looked up at Harry. Every time that he looked into her eyes he wanted to flinch. The gold always seemed to be in constant motion. They glowed back at him and seemed to see straight through him, it wasn't a comforting feeling.

"So, what are you doing to get rid of Voldemort?" Riley asked as she leaned back in her chair.

Harry snapped out of his reverie, but he hesitated, he couldn't tell her the truth and Riley immediately noticed it. She waved her hand as if to wave off her own question.

"Never mind, I don't need to hear the fake answer. Do you need to do research?"

Harry tilted his head, confused as to how she would immediately think that.

"Are you _still_ under the impression that I am stupid?" Riley asked slightly annoyed seeing the puzzled expression on Harry's face, "You're going to be fighting the darkest wizard of your age. He has more experience then you, he enjoys causing others pain… in fact he is even giddy when he does, and he has killed a lot more people then you. If you weren't researching something… I would kill you myself because there would be no point in protecting you."

Riley tilted her head to either side and cracked her neck.

"I don't know why that entire Order thinks that you are going to be the one to kill Voldemort… but as much as I think that they are stupid… I know they aren't, which means that they have a reason. And that means that you know why too. They leave you in the dark about a lot of things, but not that much." Riley said exasperatedly.

Harry was taken aback slightly.

"Yes, we need to do research."

Harry turned his head and saw Hermione leaning against the entrance into the kitchen.

"We weren't able to find anything about the dark magic that we needed to research at Grimmauld Place." Hermione said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Then it was probably ancient dark magic." Riley said calmly.

Riley stood up and grabbed another glass from her cabinet. She walked gracefully back over to the table and poured some orange juice in it. Riley turned and strode up to Hermione and offered her the glass.

"Do you want to see a library that has more knowledge then the Hogwarts library?" Riley asked with a gleam in her eye.

Hermione cocked her head to the side in curiosity and Riley smiled. Riley walked out of the kitchen waving her hand over her shoulder signaling for Hermione and Harry to follow her.

Harry looked at Hermione and saw her give him an impatient look. He got up and walked with Hermione following after Riley.

Hermione trailed Riley as the blonde walked through the open living room. Riley was wearing a pair of basketball shorts and a wife-beater. It was strange that Riley would be wearing that; the house was just a little chilly.

They turned down a little side hall that they hadn't noticed before. Riley stopped right before the wall at the end of the hall and turned back to Hermione and Harry. Hermione gave Riley a perplexed look and Riley smiled back. Riley held out her arm and reached back towards the wall. Hermione was shocked to see that her hand disappeared and her arm kept pushing. There was a soft click and a door suddenly materialized with Riley's hand holding the doorknob. With a small turn of her wrist the door swung open and Riley stepped out of the way allowing Hermione and Harry to walk into the new room.

Hermione held in a shocked gasp as she spun around taking in the immense library. She had never seen anything like it.

Granite pillars supported four levels of the ancient room and the glass roof above. The room was bright and had an Ancient Greek feel to it. Each level was almost 12 feet tall and held volumes of books. Some were big and thick, where others seemed to just be loose parchment that had secrets held within its text. There was a ladder on all four of the walls on each of the four floors to reach the books on the top. A large stone table sat in the middle of the first level for a researcher to place books on.

"There are books in this room that were some of the first ever written about magic. Many of these books are ancient and even more are the only copy left in existence today." Riley said as she walked into the room following after Harry and Hermione.

"Ho-How did…." Hermione could barely form words at how shocked she was.

"Time works differently for Guardian Angels. After you die and become one, you start in the beginning… or at least the beginning of sophisticated languages. Egyptian, Sumerian, and so on, and then they continue throughout time."

"But- But your mom…"

Riley smiled, "Yes, my mother and father are still alive and well in Germany, which means that I didn't die that long ago. It's a hard concept to grasp. Think about a time turner… you go back in time and there can be two of you in the same place. Yet, what has happened to you may not have happened to the other you because time hasn't caught up. You went back in time to do something… and what you know will happen hasn't."

"How old are you?" Hermione asked hesitantly, watching Riley offer her a comforting smile.

"Hmm… I'm not entirely sure. I've never really done the math to figure it out. Well, Ancient Sumerian is classified as around 3100 BC and seeing as I didn't know the year… 5098?" Riley stated questioningly. "But, that's counting the years I've been on earth… now I would be 17."

"I don't understand." Harry said.

"My birthday was 17 years ago."

"I really don't understand." Harry repeated.

Riley laughed, "I wouldn't expect you to."

Riley moved further into the room and leaned against the edge of the table.

"Each of the 7 have collected books about all magic and placed them in this room for protection. There are secrets that would mean the end of the world as you know it if they fell into the wrong hands."

Riley waved her hands to the books behind her, "There are books in here that you won't be able to read because they are in a different language. If you do know that language, some of the books will appear blank if it has anything that you don't need to know. If you try to get them to reveal their secrets, the book will go up in flames."

Riley smiled a bit at the confused looks on both Hermione and Harry's faces. She leaned foreword and gave Hermione and Harry a telling look, "Don't read anything that you don't need to know. Its as simple as that."

Riley got up and started walking towards a staircase that neither of them had noticed.

"Wait! How do we find the books with the information that we need in them?" Hermione asked.

"This is a private library, so there isn't a catalog. It's just something that all of the Guardians memorize. It depends on what you're looking for." Riley said while leaning back against the table.

Hermione looked at Harry and saw that he gave an almost unnoticeable shake of his head.

"So you can't tell me?" Riley asked, even though she knew the answer. "Then we'll have to do it this way."

Riley took her wand out and pointed it at the left wall. Immediately a chalkboard lowered from the floor above. Once again Riley flicked her wrist causing it to come out while levitating in the air 5 feet away from the table and facing Harry and Hermione.

"To destroy evil… of any kind you have two options. You destroy it with pure good, or another type of evil. Which route do you want to go?" Riley asked.

The chalkboard drew a line down the middle. On one side the word _Different_ appeared, while on the other side the word _Light_ appeared.

"Type of evil? How are there different types of evil?" Hermione asked.

Riley raised her eyebrows and the sighed.

"Right now… Voldemort wants to change the world. If we lessen the meaning of that… He would want to rule the world through Dictatorship. It's complete control over everyone; the opposite of Dictatorship would be Anarchy. No control over anyone. Get it yet?" Riley asked. "Depending on your views… the opposite of something bad… isn't always good."

"A very obvious example of something purely different would be… someone wants to rule the world. Another type of evil that is just as bad if not worse… someone wants to destroy the world. Someone wants to 'purify' the world. All different types depending on your views?" Riley said while shrugging.

Harry glanced over at the board and saw that… _Dictatorship-Anarchy_ had appeared on the _Different_ side of the board.

"So start with opposites." Riley said while pointing to the board, "Opposites that are good will appear on the _Light_ side while the others will appear on the _Different _side. Or you can list just different types of evils."

"How do we start with opposites?" Harry asked.

Riley sighed, "Opposite of fire?"

"Water?" Hermione asked.

_Fire-Water_ appeared on the light side.

"Opposite of sky?"

"Ground." Harry said.

"Poison?"

"Remedy." Hermione offered.

"Hate?"

"Love."

Riley shook her head. "Nope. Hate and love are both similar emotions. With both you think about that person or thing, the opposite of hate _and_ love is apathy… you don't care."

For some reason _Hate/Love-Apathy_ appeared on the _Different_ side.

"Wait why is that one the _Different_ side?" Hermione asked.

"Because the best intentions cause the most pain. Love and Hate are evil in their own rights and so is Apathy." Riley said. "Keep going."

"Hurt?" Hermione asked.

"Heal." Harry responded. "Death?"

"Life."

"Nope."

Hermione and Harry both looked over to Riley.

"What?" Hermione inquired.

"Life is not the opposite of Death. Living is the opposite of Dieing. The opposite of Life is dead."

"What's the difference?" Harry asked.

"Living… is actually doing something while you are alive. Life… is what's in between the beginning and the end of a person, whether you are living or not is your own choice." Riley said simply. "Catch the hint I gave you?"

"Wait, hint?" Harry said.

"Oh, Birth." Came from Hermione

"There you go." Riley smiled, "Birth is the opposite of death. The beginning and the end, life is what is in between."

Hermione and Harry thought for a second.

Hermione had to admit that Riley's answer made more sense then her original choice.

"Soul?" Harry asked finally.

"I… don't know."

Riley was sitting on the table picking at her fingernails. She looked up to see Harry and Hermione staring at her.

Riley sighed, "I can't give you this answer, especially because I have a feeling that this is the one you need."

"What do you mean you can't give us the answer?!"

"I'm your _Angel_ that's it. I'm not the instruction book to how you defeat Voldemort. You come up with that on your own… I can help you and correct you, but that's it."

"Then how come you told us with the rest of it?" Harry spat out.

The one time that he needed Riley and she wasn't going to help.

Riley pushed herself off of the table. There was a fire behind her eyes that made her look beyond intimidating. She walked right up to Harry and stopped just a foot away. Harry had never been face to face with an angry girl that was as tall as him and it didn't help that Riley was the first.

"Because I was getting you started. You're the one that won't tell me why _Soul_ is the word you need the opposite for, if I choose not to help you… I have a good reason to."

"I thought that you were our Guardian Angel. _Angel_ as in you do good and help people." Harry said not backing down.

"You obviously haven't been paying attention to anything that I have done in the past couple of weeks. I'm not the religious belief of what Angels are. I wouldn't be a very good Guardian Angel if I was good now would I?" Riley fought back.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry snapped.

Quicker then Harry could blink, Riley's hand closed on his windpipe as she lifted him up into the air, her wings appearing from her back.

"It means that I wouldn't be able to do _this _to the people I'm protecting you from." Riley released Harry and watched as he fell to the ground.

"You human's have a strange belief that everyone owes you something. Keep this in mind… It's _me_ protecting _you_. If anyone owes anything it would be you."

Riley disappeared and reappeared on the table sitting down.

"I'm sick of all of you asking for things that you haven't earned."

Hermione rushed over to Harry.

"Why do you always do that Riley?!" Hermione asked as Harry stood up glaring at Riley.

"Do what Hermione?" Riley asked calmly.

"Get angry and violent and then completely calm!" Hermione yelled, "You seem kind and generous and then you take everyone's head off!"

"Maybe it's because I have a short patience when it comes to humans." Riley said while having a glaring contest with Harry. It was very obvious that Riley was winning.

"Why? You've spent _years_ protecting them. You said that you hated them… us! Why?" Hermione cried out.

"When did I say I hated them?" Riley asked confused.

Hermione's eyes widened, "In the hospital!"

A look of understanding passed over Riley's face.

"That was the Chaos's talking, not me. Unfortunately, I can't lie, which means that they can't either." Riley said harshly, "Yeah, I hate humans, but I have a pretty good reason to."

"Why?! Why do you think that you can group all humans together? The Order was mean to you… not the entire world!" Hermione said.

Riley laughed, "You don't get it. The reason that there are Guardian Angels is because of humans' sins. Humans created the Chaos's, humans created me. Not specific humans, no all of them. From their sins, their fears, and pain, that's what Guardian Angels are reborn from."

Hermione stepped forwards and looked at Riley.

"You keep talking about the Chaos's… what are they? How can you expect us to understand you if we don't know?!"

Riley pushed herself off of the table and looked at Hermione.

"I don't. I never said that I did." Riley's voice was clipped and her eyes hard, "I don't understand you and you won't understand me. Just leave it at that."

Hermione's breath caught in her throat. Riley had never been harsh towards Hermione. Riley had never, not answered one of her questions.

As Riley started walking towards the door again, Hermione could feel Riley's hair gently brush against her face and she froze.

"Use the library for whatever you want. Don't try to read anything that goes blank." Riley said as she reached the door.

"Wait! You need to help us find the books!" Harry said to Riley's retreating back.

Riley paused right as her hand touched the door.

"I don't _need_ to do anything and I don't feel like helping you at the moment. Have fun searching for whatever the fuck you want." She spat while pulling the door open.

Hermione flinched as the door closed with an almost inaudible click. It would have been better if Riley had slammed the door.

Harry watched as Hermione just stood there. He could feel his chest tightening with anger.

"What is that girl's deal?!" Harry spat out finally.

"She's hurt." Hermione said quietly while turning her head down for some reason she felt guilty now, "She doesn't let anyone get close. She doesn't want people to understand her."

"Stop making excuses for her! Didn't you hear how she just talked to you?!" Harry interrupted.

"No, think about it. Her parents betrayed her. She says that it wasn't her, but it still hurts her. Just imagine it Harry. What if your parents were still alive and then they betrayed you and gave you up to Voldemort?"

Harry looked shocked and took a step away from Hermione. His eyes hardened.

"They didn't." His reply was curt.

"But if they had. You would be hurt. It's the ultimate betrayal and then she came back and had to save everyone else from their pain. She probably constantly remembers that nobody saved her? It's not an excuse. It's just the way that her world works."

"Why are you doing this? So what if her world works like that? When most people die, that's it. She got another life? Why would that give her the right to complain?" Harry wasn't willing to back down from this.

"Harry?" Hermione asked quietly while turning and looking at him.

He had to keep himself from turning away when he saw the sadness within her eyes.

"Would you want that life? Would you want to live forever just to save people that you knew were going to die anyways?"

"Think about how much pain you have had in your life Harry. In 17 years. You can't say that your personality hasn't been altered because of that. Just think about how long she has lived, how much pain she would have suffered and seen. Not to mention caused."

Harry looked at Hermione and tilted his head. He didn't get it.

"Honestly Harry, sometimes I think that you purposefully don't acknowledge some things. She protects people… she protected me from Ron."

The image of Riley sending Ron flying with a flick of her wrist appeared in Harry's mind.

"Do you think that that is the only thing she has done to protect someone?"

Harry stood there fighting the urge to glare at Hermione.

"She is our Guardian Angel. She should be kind to us Hermione." Harry said.

"'You human's have a strange belief that everyone owes you something.' She said that to you Harry. The Order told her that she owed them an explanation. What have you or the Order ever done for her?" Hermione asked earnestly.

Harry could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"Of course. Take her side. She is your new friend after all." Harry spat out.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled. "Fine! If you want to act like a child, I'm not going to stop you! I'm not taking her side! This is why she gets angry at you! Neither of you are in the right, but at this rate you aren't proving her wrong now are you?"

Hermione's eyes flared with anger, "I'm angry at her too, but at least she knew when she needed to step off!"

Hermione turned her back on Harry and faced the chalkboard. She definitely didn't need to talk to him right now.

Harry took a step back. Hermione had never been that angry at him. He walked towards the staircase and went up to the second floor. Just looking at Hermione's back right now told him how angry she was. It would be best to let Hermione calm down.

Hermione couldn't ever even remember a time where she was this angry. Harry was being immature, and Riley was being cruel. Why couldn't they have just gotten along! Nothing ever worked out for Hermione. First she did that stupid beat around the bush thing with Ron, and then he started acting like a jerk. Riley had gotten captured because she had been trying to protect Hermione, got sent to the hospital for whatever the Order had done to her, and now Harry and her were fighting!

She just couldn't think about it anymore. All she would do is succeed in making herself angrier. So, with a last defeated sigh she focused on the board in front of her.

_**Different Light**_

_**Dictatorship-Anarchy Fire-Water**_

_**Hate/Love-Apathy Sky-Ground**_

_**Death-Birth Poison-Remedy**_

_**Angel-Demon **_

_**Hurt-Heal**_

_**Soul-?**_

That was what Riley had made the board write.

"Wait. Why would Angel to Demon and Hurt to heal appear on the Different side of the board?" Hermione asked quietly. "When did we even talk about it?"

Suddenly the board started to write beneath the lists.

_**Angels and Demons are both representations of immorality. They both hurt and help people. The only difference is that there is gain in it for the Demons.**_

_**Hurt and Heal are not always good or bad. Hurt can make a person stronger. Healing can make them weaker. Not every hurt needs to be healed.**_

Hermione stepped back. That sounded like Riley's reasoning. Then again the board was obeying Riley, so it would go by Riley's judgment.

"Then what is the opposite of 'soul'?" Hermione asked the board.

This time the interpretations were erased and for a moment the board stayed black.

_**Soul- a common belief that everyone has a soul, often times used in reference to morals.**_

_**1. the complex of human attributes that manifests as consciousness, thought, feeling, and will, regarded as distinct from the physical body**_

Hermione sighed.

"That doesn't tell me what the opposite of soul is!" Hermione said.

She sighed, "Erase everything in the 'Light' category, please."

The board immediately did and kept the _Different_ and the soul definition.

"Where do I start?" Hermione said quietly to the chalkboard.

She didn't feel the slightest bit awkward talking to an inanimate object. She had gotten used to it after entering the magical world.

_**The beginning is usually the best place.**_

Hermione's eye twitched. This board really did sound like Riley.

"And where exactly is the beginning?"

This time nothing appeared on the chalkboard. Hermione sighed and decided to start at the bookcase that the board had come from.

Riley walked down the narrow hall. Her thoughts were a jumbled and flying through her mind to quickly for her to process. Her eye was twitching. The blood that flowed in her veins was boiling with anger. It wasn't often that she had the urge to pummel one of her charges, so it could only be expected that she would be beyond the healthy limit of adrenaline.

She quickly turned down another hallway and wrenched open the first door. She stepped onto the fine bamboo floor and shut the door soundlessly behind her.

The room was large, insanely large. It looked a lot like the inside of a traditional Japanese dojo. There was a raised area at the side of the room for people to sit and observe the person that was on the floor. Weapons of all kinds lined the walls far wall, weapons that Riley was a master with. On the other side of the room there were free weights, benches, and a large punching bag hanging from one of the rafters in the ceiling.

Riley let out a happy sigh. In this room, there was no outside world, no conflicts, no charges, just sweat and hard work. It was the one thing that Riley loved. The carnage of her mind always disappeared as soon as she started working out in this room. It was a separate world from the chaos that would always follow her in the mortal world. Her mind slowly let all conscious thought fade away and it seemed as if she was only being driven by the will to release her aggression on something.

Riley walked over and the hidden door open. She quickly grabbed the cream athletic tape and slid the door shut. Her hands moved of their own accord and wound the tape around each of her scarred knuckles before traveling down to her wrist. She had been taping her hands for years. She didn't even have to watch what she was doing. The tape quickly wrapped her hands tightly and the roll went flying across the room to the raised portion of the floor.

Her eyes glanced down at her mummified hands and smiled. This was the way she liked her hands to look. Strong, wrapped, and clenched in anticipation of the impact to come. Her right arm shot out quicker then most people could react and crashed into the crimson heavy bag that had been taunting her. The sick satisfaction that she felt as she watched the bag swing back and side stepped it as it tried to retaliate couldn't even be described fully.

Riley pulled her delicate wand from underneath her shirt and muttered a simple spell that she had learned years ago to stop the bag from traveling away from her. Just like the tape, Riley's wand went soaring through the air to the raised section of the room.

Without even thinking Riley started hitting the bag with all of her strength. The liquid fire that was burning in her blood unleashed its power on the red leather.

Riley was a bitch and she knew it. She didn't care. She was arrogant, hardheaded, competitive, abrasive, observing, and acted like she was better then everyone else. She knew all this and she had no intentions to change. Not all of them were necessarily bad traits, but to some people they were. Harry happened to be one of them.

It was one of the things that pushed Riley closer and closer to the edge. Harry was a hypocrite in her eyes. Why? He was just like her. His hardheadedness knew no bounds. Once he had an idea in his mind, no one could convince him otherwise. Competitiveness could be seen by his relationship with any of the Slytherins. His arrogance however took on a much uglier form then Riley's. Everyone owed his something. The Order owed him explanations, _she _owed him anything he wanted. If someone else knew something that he didn't, it was his or her job to inform him. The thought almost sent her arm through the heavy bag.

Unfortunately, Riley knew exactly why Harry didn't like her. People tend to dislike others that can show the same darkness that is hidden within own eyes. No one ever wants to face their own demons. The funny thing though, people don't even realize that the true evil in the world resides in their own hearts. The one place where their fears and the fiend side of their personalities take hold of and grow into a darkness that not even the brightest light could penetrate.

No, Riley never had the disillusionment that she was better then humans, she just believed herself smarter. She recognized her own darkness and held it at bay as much as possible. She had yet to meet a human that knew of his or her own evil spirits. In every human's mind, whichever 'side' they were on was the right one. Genocide, racism, sexism, crusades, torture, they were all physical forms of their 'side' and if they were the ones committing the crime, they were right.

Riley's hand smashed against the punching bag. Her hand was bruising, but still she kept hitting.

It is said that everyone knows right from wrong. The saying made a contemptuous laugh struggle trying to escape from Riley's sealed lips. People seldom do what they believe is right, they do what is convenient and then repent. It was a quote Riley had heard a while ago. However, the repenting part seems to be more optional. To an extent Riley agreed, but lots of people did do what they believed was right and that was where the true evil came from. Hitler believed that he was right and the Jewish people paid for it, King Henry thought that it was right to behead his wives just so he could remarry. Voldemort thought that genocide of all muggle and half-breed witches and wizards was right. The human brain was the true weapon of mass destruction.

Crimson stains started to appear on the tape wrapping Riley's knuckles. Her nerves sent electrical signals all the way to her brain of the pain that was being caused by her repeated blows, yet Riley failed to notice.

Then there were her charges. Harry and Hermione and the one that she had yet to collect, they were all her responsibility. They drove her insane. Complaints, wants, needs, they appeared to be babies in Riley's eyes, demanding and needing of constant attention. Riley was good with kids. After all, she had been taking care of them for millenniums, but that didn't mean that she liked them. Actually she had to take that back. She liked kids; she didn't like babies . . . or toddlers . . . or teenagers . . . or adults for that matter. She liked kids in between the ages of 4-12. Humans were bearable through those years.

Babies did nothing other then cry and stare at you. Toddlers only did things that would hurt themselves. Teenagers were too dramatic. Adults were too corrupt. But, within those 8 years, humans were perfect. Their souls had yet to be tainted with the evils of the world. They were still innocent and not aware of the evils in their world, yet they knew that some things didn't require other people's interference. They saw the world differently. It was an honest world, where people didn't lie to get what they wanted, a place where they didn't worry about anyone deceiving them, and any one could be forgiven. It was a sweet notion to Riley.

In those children's eyes Riley was a good person. When she was around them, she felt like she wasn't an evil person. That even someone like her could be forgiven. Then the world would come crashing back and smash that sweet little dream into millions of tiny pieces.

A knuckle broke as Riley hit the punching bag again.

Riley couldn't be forgiven. Nor should she ever be in her mind. She chastised people. She mocked them, humiliated them, and it was all because she didn't want them to be anywhere near her. The closer people got to her, the more they know her, and the more they would come to despise her. They hated her for acting arrogant. They had no idea how much they would hate and fear her if they _knew _her.

It was something that all of the Guardians had chosen. No one got close to any humans. It was a rule. Everything was a façade and that was the way that it would stay.

Riley finally awoke to what she had been doing. The smell of her own blood finally reaching her, but not her pain.

Riley spun around and kicked the heavy bag high. There was a loud creak and the bag suddenly split spilling out all of the sand. With a dejected sigh Riley ripped off the tape around her knuckles ignoring the fact that some of her skin came with it.

Riley walked over and picked up the roll of tape and her wand from the raised portion of the room. Without even thinking Riley waved her wand and the sand and heavy bag cleaned itself up. She calmly walked over to the closet and ignored the blood that dripped off of her destroyed knuckles. She carefully replaced the tape and pulled out the white bandages that had been stored on the top shelf and quickly bandaged her messy hands.

She cracked her neck and started towards the door.

_Enough thinking. It's not like my thoughts haven't been thought before. _Riley thought, cracking each of her knuckles through the gauze. _I should make some food and then check on Hermione and Harry._

Riley unlocked the door and stepped out heading towards the kitchen.

Hermione growled. Yes, growled. She had no idea what she was looking for anymore. She had found dozens of books on horcruxes. Each of them had more information on then any of the books at Hogwarts and Grimmauld Place combined. A few of the books even had how to make them, but none of them said _anything_ on how to destroy them.

Hermione didn't get frustrated with research often, but this was one of the extremely rare occasions. She was angry with Riley for storming out like she had. Angry that she had let Harry get to her, that she had been so cruel, and that she had refused to help! Hermione was just as mad at Harry as she was at Riley too though. He just had to push her buttons, act ignorant, and continued to argue even when it was _obvious_ that he was wrong. They were both insufferable!

Hermione threw the book in her hands at the bookcase with a snarl. She jumped slightly as the shelves seemed to rattle. She instinctively curled up into a ball waiting for the bookcase to come crashing down. She jumped slightly as something soft and light dropped on top of her head. Hesitantly she peeked out from between her arms to see a leather bound book lying in front of her. With a delicately arched brow she slowly unwound herself and gently grabbed the fallen book.

As she looked closer at it she realized that it was a journal, a very old journal. Hermione looked around suspiciously and then back at the journal. She hesitantly opened the cover and saw that there were Japanese characters scrolled out across the pages. A large sigh escaped Hermione's lips. She couldn't read Japanese.

Suddenly the pages started glowing. Hermione instantly dropped the book and scooted away. The black lines started rearranging themselves on the pages. Lines molded together and folded on themselves creating something new that she couldn't quite see. Slowly the glowing came to a stop as the lines stopped moving.

Hermione raised herself a little higher and looked down at the journal from the other side of the section. English words had appeared on the pages and it seemed to be just a normal journal again. Hermione hesitantly crawled back over to the open memoir and once again hesitantly picked it up. Nothing happened so she assumed that she was allowed to read it.

She gently lifted the journal and started to read the words written in front of her.

_Nara Period: Heian, Japan_

_It has been established that we, the tenshi, keep journals for an unknown reason. After being in this world for many years, this unworthy one-_

"This unworthy one?" Hermione asked arching an eyebrow at the wording. She quickly shook her head and returned to what she was reading.

_-has decided that these memoirs should start to be recorded. _

_For unknown reasons the tenshi have been spread throughout the world. This is the first time that we have been without each other. This one is not bothered by it. Solitude is comforting. _

_Akane, Ryuichi, Kenshin, are all people under this unworthy one's protection. There are others that no longer need the protection of a tenshi._

_Once a tenshi is no longer needed then they slowly fade from that person's life. Even if the tenshi were to stand next to the person, they would not see the tenshi. We no longer hold importance in their lives after we have served our purpose. _

_Akane is a young girl of 4 years. She's a quiet girl that has experienced many hardships in this life. Her parents were brutally murdered before her eyes, she was then left homeless and left to wander the desolate streets. This one found her and brought her home to take care of her. _

_Ryuichi is a boy no older then 10. He has lived a seemingly good life. He lives next door with his father and mother. Though they rarely speak to him. He can often be found here. This one has no idea why he needs protection. It can only be assumed that he will be important for some reason._

_Kenshin is the dearest of my loved people. He is 18, the age that this one is in this time. He has by far had the hardest life out of the three. His father and mother both died in a fire on their master's estate. His master had Kenshin take up the chores of both of his honorable parents at 5 years. He often could not complete his tasks and was beaten to impart obedience. The scars remain evidence of his frightening child hood. He was later sold to slave traders at 13 years. He however remained strong willed and defiant and was often punished. He was bought and sold numerous times throughout his short life. This one found him abandoned and beaten on the side of the road and brought him home to take care of. _

_No one bothers us here in this home that this unworthy one has created. We grow crops and sell them in the town. This way we are self-sufficient. These people are alone. It would be best if they can learn how to survive on their own, without this one's help. Then they will forget this unworthy one just as the others have._

The journal entry ended and Hermione cocked her head. This was apparently one of the Guardian Angel's diaries. She gently turned the rice paper and saw the words rearrange themselves with an eerie glow once again.

_This is the end of the Nara and Heian Periods of Japan. The Heike was defeated by the Genji. This age has come to pass; yet this one cannot be sure if the next will be for the better._

_Ryuichi and Kenshin have both become samurai under the Genji family. Both played key roles for bringing about this new era. Akane was not as fortunate. _

_At the start of the Gempei War the Heike samurai killed her. This one now knows the purpose of why these are the people needing protection. Akane needed to be protected just so that she would be killed by the Heike. Her death led to Ryuichi and Kenshin going to the Genji to follow the paths of avengers. They killed many important people under the Heike, in retribution for Akane's death. _

_This one's purpose was to do nothing, but insure that Akane wasn't killed by any other then the Heike and that Ryuichi and Kenshin grew to be strong so that they could kill. The blood that has been spilt by them is on no one else's hands, but this worthless one's. _

_This one was not supposed to save Akane according to leader. Leader has no heart. This one was unable to get there in time to save her because of leader. For the tenshi have no purpose but to insure the outcomes of people's lives. Are we not to protect people? Are we to ensure that they come to an end that will lead to something significant. There is no other answer except yes. We are the wicked and the forever damned._

The journal entry ended and Hermione leaned back on the bookcase. The Guardian Angels insured that people would die? This person didn't realize that Akane was going to die, so that must be it.

"Having fun?"

Hermione jumped and muffled a scream into her hand. She looked up to see Riley standing over her with her head cocked.

"Don't do that!" Hermione exclaimed putting her hand over her heart.

Riley raised her eyebrows and cocked her head a little before straightening out.

"Any reason why you are reading my journal?" Riley asked.

Hermione's eyes got wide and she looked down at the leather bound book in her hand.

"Th-this is yours?"

Riley raised an eyebrow and uncovered the inside of the leather and pointed at the cover. Hermione looked down and saw names written down.

_Matsumoto Emi_

_Yamashita Hiroko_

_Oshiro Kin_

_Sato Megumi_

_Kuroki Shika_

_Komatsu Kazumi_

_Hara Ayame_

_Kondo Hiroko_

_Hayashi Kaoru_

_Yamaguchi Kiku_

_Nakajima Kohaku_

_Yamanaka Naoko_

_Ochi Ayaka_

_Mori Atsuko_

_Matsuo Hiromi_

_Kimura Fumiko_

_Yoshida Hoshi_

_Kobayashi Hotaru_

_Sasaki Mariko_

_Suzuki Izanami_

_Kudo Mayumi_

_Nakamura Megumi_

_Arai Kumiko_

_Saito Momoe_

_Watanabe Elizabeth_

_Takahashi Misaki _

_Rose Matthews_

_Mary Ostrander_

_Matilda Mason_

_Julianna Loveall_

_Nicole Smith_

_Heidi Watts_

_Riley Brooks_

Riley Brooks. The same Riley Brooks that was standing in front of her watching her read her journal.

"Oh." Hermione said quietly.

Riley just raised an eyebrow and then turned around and walked towards the center of the library. Hermione quickly scrambled to her feet and took off after Riley.

"Wait! I'm sorry. I didn't know that it was yours. I did-"

Riley laughed as she leaned against the table again.

"Calm down. It's fine." Riley said crossing her arms under her chest.

"Sorry." Hermione held out the book to Riley and tilted her head down.

"Why are you giving it to me?" Riley asked looking at the book.

Hermione looked up and cocked her head to the side.

"Don't you want it back?"

Riley laughed, "Why would I? I know what it says, I wrote it."

"Oh." Hermione said slightly awkwardly.

Riley laughed again. Harry finally showed up on the main floor where they were talking. Riley just ignored him and pushed Hermione's outstretched arm back towards her.

"Here, keep it." Hermione's head shot up once again and she stared at Riley, "At least for now."

Hermione starred in awe causing Riley's eye to start twitching.

"Stop looking at me like that. Your curiosity can get seriously annoying. At least with that some of your questions might get answered." Riley said while stuffing her hands into her pockets.

"THANK YOU!" Hermione launched herself at Riley and gave her a huge hug.

Once again Riley's eye twitched, but she allowed Hermione to hang on her for a few more seconds.

"Okay, get off." Riley said finally while unwrapping Hermione's arms from around her neck. "I'm all for hugs, but I brought you guys lunch. So go eat."

Hermione looked around Riley and saw that there was a platter of sandwiches and a pitcher of lemonade.

"Thank you Riley."

"No problem." Riley said with a smile as Hermione reached behind her and grabbed one of the sandwiches.

"You know they are for you too Harry." Riley called over her shoulder.

Harry jumped slightly. Hermione lifted her head and finally noticed his presence and offered him a soft smile. He slowly approached the table and picked up one of the triangular lunches.

"Sorry." Riley said softly as she turned and looked Harry in the eyes.

Harry jumped and almost dropped his lunch.

"Wh-what?"

Riley rolled her eyes.

"I said that I was sorry. I may have been pissed off at you, but I'm also older then you, so I should have had a little bit more patience with you." Riley said simply.

Harry thought it was funny that she was apologizing while slipping in a small insult. As he started to open his mouth to ask his question she quickly cut him off.

"I'm still not telling you." She said simply. "After all, who knows how long I'll be here. I wouldn't want you getting too reliant on me."

Harry's eyes narrowed, but he kept his mouth shut and slowly ate the sandwich that he had picked up. Riley slid into the chair next to Hermione and crossed her arms behind her head. Hermione glanced between Harry and Riley and then quickly decided that it would be best to break the silence that was slowly overcoming the group.

"Riley, why did you write so weird in the beginning of this?" Hermione asked indicating towards the journal.

Riley cocked an eyebrow, "I didn't know you could read Japanese."

Hermione quickly shook her head and handed the book to Riley while flipping open to the first page. Riley grabbed the journal delicately and tilted her head examining the writing that had been changed into English. She hadn't noticed it before.

"That's strange. I didn't know that the enchantments in this library would translate also." Riley shrugged and handed the book back to Hermione.

"So, why did you always write, 'this one' or 'this unworthy one'?" Hermione inquired.

"Ah, well it is a form of polite speech. It's a way of saying that you are humbled and at the time, I was." Riley said with a small shrug, ignoring Harry's speculative glance.

"You said that the Guardians . . . well you said that you were 5098 years old and I don't think that there was Japanese language back then. So, why is this written in Japanese?" Hermione asked.

Riley smiled, "Personally, I didn't want to write in the damn thing. Besides ancient Sumerian was a pain in the butt to write with."

They fell silent and Riley finally saw the chalkboard's new appearance.

"So, I'm taking it that you found out how the board works?" Riley said while reading what was written.

"Yes, but it doesn't always help." Hermione admitted.

Riley laughed, "Not every resource does."

Riley pushed her chair away from the table and for the first time Hermione finally noticed the bandages around Riley's hands, but decided not to ask. Rocking back on two of the chair legs Riley just kept her balance sitting there in her leaning chair.

"Well, anyways. I need to go buy some groceries. You two want to come?" Riley asked.

Hermione looked over at Harry and saw him shrug in return.

"Sure." Hermione smiled.

Riley smiled, "Cool, come on lets go to the market."

He couldn't believe that he had actually listened to that stupid voice. Then again after walking in and facing a bruised and bleeding reflection three days in a row, he decided that it was time.

He hadn't allowed himself to be deluded by any notions of sanctuary. No, that would be like making himself believe that the world would be drowned in pink paint. His expectations were a lot lower then that. He would either be killed, or he would be carted off to Azkaban where the Dark Lord would eventually kill him anyways. As he saw it, death was the ultimate outcome.

Death wasn't that bad.

After the hell he had gone through, death would be a warm welcome mat to his future summer home.

He had done things that he had hated himself for. Things that were immoral and went against everything that he believed in. However, that didn't change the fact that he had committed the crimes. The guilt rested on his heart and his alone. The guilt was worse then death.

His world had been bathed in hatred and blood since he was born. His mind had become demented and he had loss all feelings. He felt no resentment towards his mother for allowing this. No hatred towards his father for the pain. No disgust of the Dark Lord's ideals. All he felt now was the clawing pain of quilt. It was a seed that had lodged itself within his chest after his first crime, continually growing and rooting itself deeper into his soul. There was nothing he could do to quell its anger; all he could do was live with it.

Though somehow he got the feeling that he only thought these things because of the blood pouring out of his head at the moment. Maybe he hadn't left his house as an act of strength or defiance. Maybe it had only been to hopefully get to a hospital before he died from head trauma and blood lose. But the fact remained that he _had_ left, and that was what mattered right?

That being decided, it now explained why he was crawling along the wall of an alleyway trying to find someone that would be decent enough to help him. So far all he had done was succeed in making a kid cry. That had been at least 10 minutes ago. He could easily feel the liquid strength draining from his body. Not only from his head, but also from the deep gash in his side. He was loosing his bearings too with each passing second.

He was a little worried. He couldn't exactly remember how he was hit. He remembered his father yelling at him and then after that everything went blank. He could focus on the amnesia later.

Right now there were more trying matters at hand. Such as the way that the ground seemed to be moving up and down making him want to bend over and heave his lunch and the ringing in his ears that seemed to block everything else out. Or the way that each time his heart beat it would send pounding waves of pain through his head. There was also the annoying fact that he was loosing a lot of blood from his side.

His head fell to watch each step he took. He could feel his strength draining with every heartbeat. Each time he moved foreword it seemed as if more weight was added to his already tired legs. His fingers were going numb while the rest of his body just felt cold. Numbness and being cold are normally good things to avoid.

His feet dragged along the pavement as he clutched at the brick wall on his side for support. He barely even noticed the way that the rough stone cut into his palms. All thoughts had faded and only left instinct to try and find help. He no longer noticed the way that his head was pounding, nor the fact that his left shoe was being splattered with blood every time he lifted it to move. All he saw was the ground in front of him and felt the strain he was putting on his body.

Drained, fatigued, exhausted . . . the words couldn't even begin to describe how tired he actually was. It seemed like someone had placed lead weights on his eyelids trying to appeal to his tired side. He couldn't stop though. If he stopped then he wouldn't be able to start moving again. He would fall asleep and he wasn't sure if he could wake up. So he kept pushing himself. Pushing through the pain and the weight and somnolent feelings.

He wanted to keep going, but the thought that kept him going, that had once been screaming in his mind, had now only become a faint whisper. That whisper was quickly dieing out.

There was no way he could stop himself from stumbling anymore. So, as he pulled his body along the edge of the wall, there was no way to stop from tripping on the abandoned license plate that someone had carelessly discarded only to cause him more misfortune. As he fell foreword he hit his head once again on the wall in the same place that he was bleeding from. The impact sent a new wave of shifting through his world and his nausea finally gave way. The contents of his stomach emptied out on the ground and standing suddenly became ten times harder.

Clamped eyes and all he pushed himself away from the wall and stepped around from the pile of sick and continued stumbling towards the exit of the alley. His head turned down to watch his feet. He couldn't look up anymore. All strength had left his body. His vision had turned red because of the blood that had run into his eyes.

This was it. He couldn't go any farther. There was no strength left in his body to force it to move. No blood to bring oxygen to his vital organs. He was going to fall down and pass out, and after that he would be done. No one could say that he hadn't made a valiant effort, but it was only an effort at that.

He had failed. He couldn't make it away from his father, from the Dark Lord. However, maybe in death he would escape the guilt, maybe his death was the price that needed to be paid to repent for his crimes.

So, even as he fell foreword with only that thought, he felt a comfort spread through him at the thought of atonement. However his decent suddenly was stopped as a pair of slender arms wrapped around his torso.

He felt the his head fall onto someone's soft body and suddenly the world seemed to stop spinning as warmth started to spread through his body. He lifted his head and was greeted by a beautiful site. The woman holding him up was smiling down at him with kind eyes. She was pale, slender, had bright red hair that fell straight down around her heart shaped face. Though what drew him in were her bright gold eyes.

"Hello there." She said sweetly.

Somehow his body suddenly felt safe and slipped into the comfort that she was offering.

"Stealing my charge Amoretta?" Asked a second voice that was all too familiar.

His eyes widened. That was the same voice that he had heard in his head. As he tried to look up over the woman that had caught him he saw yet another woman standing there with a bright smile on her face. Her dirty blonde hair matched her bright gold eyes perfectly. That woman had the same eyes as the one supporting him. He tried to get a closer look at him, but suddenly his vision started tunneling inwards.

"Oh, you know me. Just checking out the competition." Said the woman above him.

The blonde woman nodded and seemed to glide foreword and gently lifted him off of the red head. It was very apparent that this woman was taller then the first, she was also stronger and the smell of cherry blossoms filled his senses. He looked past the new woman's shoulder as he seemed to be doing a lot lately and saw the last person he had thought he would ever see again as his vision started fading more and more from blood lose.

"Granger?" His voice was too raspy for his liking.

With that said all of the energy he had in his body slipped away from him. The dark was closing in on him from all sides as he watched her face change to shock and let one name fall from her shocked lips.

"Malfoy?!"

**QUESTION TIME!!! Is Riley always going to be a bitch? Does Harry like being clueless? Is there a reason that there is a weird dojo like room? Who is the other gold eyed woman? Who didn't know it was Draco? And which character is the Chapter Song for? So, many questions, but at the same time others are being answered.**

Sorry once again everyone. I seriously overbooked my work time slots. Guess that's the life of a make-up artist though.

PLEASE REVIEW!!! I would love to hear what all of you think about this chapter. Do you love it? Hate it? Should I quit writing for the rest of my life? I would love to hear you oppinions so just click on the little "Go" button in your screens lower right hand corner and give me a shout out.

Hope all of the American's out there had a lovely 4th of July. Oh, and did any of you out there get to go to the Concert for Princess Diana? If you didn't and you didn't get to see it on the TV it was amazing and you seriously missed out!

SORRY ONCE AGAIN PEOPLE!


	7. Chapter 7: Food Fight!

**Next Chapter!!!**

Disclaimer: I've forgotten the past few chapters. Sorry! I don't own Harry Potter. If I did there would be a lot more smut . . . just kidding. Maybe.

Thank you to everyone that reviewed!

**I don't have a song for this chapter! I'm sorry, but I couldn't think of one. FORGIVE ME!!**

Riley, Harry, Hermione, Malfoy, and the gold-eyed woman had all piled into Riley's Audi Q7 3.6 Quattro. Riley sat in the front seat next to the other woman in silence. When they had all gotten to Riley's car she had ordered Harry and Hermione to sit in the back and lay Malfoy over them while keeping pressure on his side. She wasn't entirely sure how bad his injuries actually were, which was the reason that she was now speeding down the road at 95 miles per hour.

"Are you trying to get us killed?!" The woman in the passenger seat yelled as Riley squeezed the car through a narrow opening between two other cars. Even now she still had that sickly sweet tone in her voice. She reminded Harry of Umbridge.

"I'm trying to get us home so that I can heal him, Amoretta." Riley replied sweetly all the same. "Besides it was your own choice to come with us."

"Hermione, Harry hold on a little longer okay?" Riley said over her shoulder.

Both of them nodded and kept pressure on Malfoy's side.

"Why are you telling them to hold on? Neither of them seem to care that our lives are endangered by your driving anyways."

"Neither of their lives are at risk and nor is yours Amoretta." Riley said turning onto the block that lead up to the house.

Amoretta snorted voice sickly sugary, "My name is Cherry Johnson."

Riley glanced over at 'Cherry'.

"Since when?"

"Since one year ago."

"Why?" Riler asked with a small laugh her voice seemed unable to loose the sweet tone just like Amoretta's . . . Cherry's.

"It's pretty!"

Riley turned off the car and rolled her eyes. "Of course it is."

* * *

Harry was shocked and Hermione wasn't doing any better. Malfoy was now lying in the middle of Riley's kitchen while Harry held a cloth to the wound in his side. Life couldn't get any stranger at this point.

Riley came and knelt down next to Harry and checked Malfoy's pulse. She sighed and then quickly smacked the other gold-eyed woman's hand away as she tried to lay it on Malfoy's head.

"Hermione use Accio and summon bandages. Harry can you get a bowl and fill it with warm water? Am-_Cherry_ can you please grab some towels?" Riley said while grabbing the cloth from Harry's hands and holding it to Malfoy's side.

Harry jumped up from his spot and ran to the sink to begin his task, yet Hermione stayed frozen staring at Malfoy's motionless body.

"Hermione." Riley said with more force.

Finally Hermione came out of her stupor. She shook her head, focusing on the task at hand. Hermione performed the spell and came rushing over to Riley with an arm full of bandages. Amoretta had made no attempt to move also.

"Amoretta, now." Riley said looking up at the other smirking woman.

"No, I'm sorry Riley, but I'm just too tired." Amoretta said with a grin.

Riley's eyes seemed to glow even though she had a bright smile on her face.

"Well, if that's the case, why don't you sit down?" Riley snapped her wrist causing Amoretta's knees to give out and drop into the chair that had slid foreword to catch her.

"I'm fine Riley." Amoretta said while trying to stand back up.

"No, really, I insist." Replied the cheshire grin.

Suddenly ropes came out and bound Amoretta to the chair.

Riley turned her attention back to Malfoy and drew her finger down in a line in the middle of Malfoy's shirt using some sort of magic to cut it. Riley quickly maneuvered Malfoy out of his shirt and then laid him back down just as Harry returned with the fresh bowl of water.

Riley pulled out her wand and pointed it at a kitchen drawer.

"Accio towels."

5 white towels came flying into Riley's outstretched hand.

"Thank you for such hospitality Riley." Said Amoretta from her chair with a fake smile on her face.

Riley gave the same smile back, "Anytime love, anytime."

Harry and Hermione shared a confused look, but quickly focused back to what they were doing.

Riley dunked one of the towels in the water and began gently scrubbing away the blood from Draco's side. There was dried blood covering his torso, so much so that it was hard for Riley to see how much damage had been caused. Each stroke brought more and more clean flesh to the surface but also steadily dirtied the water that Riley was using to clean with.

"Harry, clean water please?" Riley asked as she concentrated on the body before her.

Harry jumped up and ran to grab another bowl to fill with water. He couldn't believe that he was actually helping Malfoy, but he wasn't the type of person that would sit back and let a person be in pain.

With a twitch, Riley's wings escape from her back. Today was obviously not going the way that she had wanted it to.

Harry returned with the fresh water quickly and gently laid the bowl down next to Riley. The Angel grabbed a fresh towel and soaked it with the fresh water once again, only to continue removing the blood from the blonde's body. Finally all of the crimson stains were washed away, though the sight that was left behind was no more comforting. Bruises covered his pale torso along with half healed cuts and old scars. It wasn't a pretty sight.

Riley sighed. She knew that he had had a rough life, but she had assumed that he would have had enough sense to leave sooner. She gently ran her fingers down Draco's torso and felt the way that his muscles tensed every time she ran over an invisible bruise.

"Hermione, Harry, I need you to go stand over by Amoretta please." Riley said while pressing her fingers into Draco's sides.

Hermione sent a confused look at Riley, but saw that the angel wasn't going to acknowledge her again. With a small sigh, Hermione heaved herself off of the floor and walked over to stand next to Harry. Hermione couldn't even fathom how Malfoy had gotten like this. It wasn't comprehensible to her. She had seen people hurt before, bleeding, broken bones, no bones, but she had never seen someone like this. She had never seen so many scars. So. Many. Scars.

Her wing flexed. Riley glanced at it quickly and then refocusing. Two broken ribs on his right side, sprained left wrist, torn left side Serratus Anterior, 4 inch gash going through left rectus abdominis ¼ inch deep, broken cheek bone, scrapes on his back, and 1 2nd degree concussion. She sighed; this was not going to be a comfortable thing to heal. The sprained wrist, torn Serratus, and the scrapes were only superficial. The broken cheekbone would heal on it's own with time. It was a clean brake and there was no possibility of it damaging the eye. Unfortunately, when Riley healed, she didn't get to choose what to heal. It was more of a package deal.

"_Ferula_." Riley said quietly pointing underneath Malfoy's body.

A stretcher appeared underneath Draco and then hovered in the air with a flick of Riley's wand.

"I'm taking him upstairs to finish healing him. You all can make yourselves something to eat. I'll be back down in about an hour." Riley said nicely.

Hermione tilted her head in confusion. Why was Riley leaving? She looked down to see the Angel, but the pool of crimson pulled her attention away. The blood that used to run through Malfoy's veins, that used to keep him conscious and walking, was now on the floor beneath his levitating body and for some reason Hermione couldn't look away.

"We can come and help you." Harry offered.

Riley smiled and tilted her head, "Thanks, but I've got it under control. Besides you guys need to eat something."

Riley smiled and then flicked her wrist once again causing the stretcher to start floating towards the stairs while she followed after it.

"Just help Hermione calm down. I don't think that blood and scars are her thing." Riley said with a small laugh realizing just how she had worded that a little late.

With that the stretcher and Riley disappeared through the staircase.

Harry turned around and saw Hermione just standing next to him staring at the blood that was left on the ground. He quickly moved in front of Hermione and blocked the view. Never had he seen Hermione react this way at the sight of blood. It didn't make any sense. Then again he was helping Malfoy which seemed to go beyond all natural laws that kept the world in balance. It was official, the world had flipped itself upside down just for the sheer enjoyment of people's confusion.

"A bit squeamish isn't she." Said the red haired woman.

The hairs on the back of Harry's neck stood up.

"Not usually." He replied quietly while leading Hermione over to a chair.

Harry quickly turned around and pointed his wand at the pool of blood, "_Incendio_!"

He sighed while looking down at his wand. Riley could do all of her spells just by whispering the incantation. She didn't have to shout it like he did.

"Wondering why you have to shout spells instead of whispering them?" Asked the falsely sweet voice behind him

He spun around and raised his eyebrow.

"How did you know that? Were you feeling my magic like Riley?" He asked suspiciously.

The woman started laughing, "Of course not. That is not a skill I possess. Besides there are easier ways of guessing what a person is thinking."

"Really?" He asked.

"Of course. How do you think the muggles do it?" She mocked, "Though it doesn't work as well as Riley's method, it is a lot simpler to master."

Harry nodded his head, but never took his eyes off of the woman in front of him. There was something about her that made him want to send her away. The way that Riley's name sounded even through the woman's sickly sweet tone made Harry think that this woman wanted nothing more then to wring Riley's neck.

"You have to shout the spell because you're lacking proficiency in using magic." Said the woman with another bright smile bringing Harry out of his thoughts.

"What?!" Harry asked.

The woman laughed, "Always entertaining. You shout because you gather more magic with force. It's the equivalent of a child crying over everything, they don't know how to do anything else."

At this quick exchange, Harry had realized something. Riley was bad. Riley was obnoxious and arrogant. Riley was nothing compared to this woman sitting in front of him. Harry had thought that a person couldn't get much worse then Riley. He had never been more wrong.

He quickly turned and walked to a cabinet to get a glass.

That being decided, Harry was going to avoid talking to this new woman as much as possible.

He filled the glass with water and returned to hand it to Hermione. Her cinnamon eyes glanced up and she offered a smile of recognition. She seemed to have at least come out of her alarm.

"Thank you Harry." She said while taking the glass, "I'm sorry for that. I-I was just so shocked by all of the scars and bruises."

Harry smiled back.

"It's fine Hermione. I was a bit shocked too." He replied squeezing Hermione's shoulder slightly.

"What are you two boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Both of their heads shot to look at the smiling woman.

"What?!" Came the simultaneous reply.

A blush steadily came over their cheeks realizing that they had answered the same. The woman raised her eyebrow and then turned to look out the window.

"I w-wonder why Riley wouldn't let us help finish healing Malfoy." Hermione said trying to break the silence that fell over the room.

Harry just shrugged.

The woman turned her head once again, "Has she never healed either of you?"

They both shook their heads.

"Well I guess that makes you both a little less dense then I thought." Said the woman.

* * *

The stretcher floated into Riley's room and gently descended on her bed. She sighed and pulled a chair up next to Malfoy's head her wings still out and folded neatly behind her back. She sat down and rearranged herself so that she was comfortable and her wings were out of the way. One glance at Malfoy's face was proof enough that he wouldn't be waking up for a while. That was probably for the best anyways.

"You know, you are a serious pain already kid." Riley said softly as she brushed the bleach blonde hair from his face. "I guess it's not entirely your fault."

Riley shifted her chair so that she was resting her feet up on the bed and sat about three feet away from the headboard. Her right wing came foreword and brushed lightly all the way down Malfoy's fragile body leaving a small light trailing behind.

"Guess we should get started." She said softly.

With her left hand she gently ran her hand down the soft feathers before gently shifting them aside to reach underneath. Her arm tensed and jerked slightly as she winced. From underneath the long sleek feathers, Riley withdrew a fluffy pure white feather that was at least 6 inches long. She sat there for a second just twirling the feather in her fingers before laying it flat in her palm. Finally with a last sigh the sound of her singing echoed through the room. At first it was quiet and nothing more then a beautifully haunting melody, but soon the notes began to take shape as her voice rang out.

"U es ornata in alta persona, quae non habet maculatam rugam. Tu es etiam socia Angelorum." Her voice fell and rose with every note. The feather in her palm began to glow brighter as it began to float on end above her hand.

"Perquam omens create sums, nun tibi." The note rang out and the feather floated gently over and landed on Draco's chest.

"Unge nos de languoribus nostris ut degneris nos liberare be miseriis et languoribus nostris." The last note faded from her lips. The light coming from the feather was so bright that the room was enveloped in pure white, all of it fading into Draco's pale body.

* * *

"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry spat out.

The woman's laugh seemed to ring out through the kitchen.

"Think about it. A guardian can heal almost every injury in less time then it would take a medic. Yet, every thing that an angel does has to be balanced. You can't heal something if there is no pain."

* * *

Riley watched with blank eyes as the bruises around her charges wrist faded and the bone reset itself. She felt the steady amount of pressure being applied to every tendon and ligament in her wrist. Felt how the bone slowly warped at the same pace that his healed. Watched as her fingers clenched when the bone buckled and finally allowed her eye to twitch from the pain that corresponded with the loud snap that followed. The bone slipping just far enough out of place to be a significant sprain.

Each and every muscle that was torn would be healed in his body while tearing in hers. Every bone that was broken, every cut that had been carved, copied itself into her flesh and blood while leaving his unmarred.

Healing with spells takes time, potions take time to make and prepare. Time was the common factor and time was something that she wouldn't waste. Time was of the essence, and time was something that she wasn't willing to waste on easy healing. Too much could go wrong with healing spells and potions, too many variables. Besides, it's not like any of this would leave any lasting damage to her.

Riley felt her right ribs bend in and press against her lung. Breathing suddenly became almost impossible. The series of cracking signaled that they had finally caved in, but she prevented herself from wincing. Riley brought her hand up to her mouth to cough into. Gently letting her arms hang down once again.

He was a resilient kid, she'd give him that much.

Riley's mouth set itself in a grim line as more series of snaps, more knots, and gashes slowly made their presence on her body known.

Yes, time was of the essence. She had a feeling that the peace and quiet would soon break.

She was well aware of how short time actually was for everyone else. With how long she had lived and how many of her precious people vanished before her eyes, she knew without a doubt that time was short. Time for _her_ to be with _them_ was short.

She turned her head and saw Jason smiling brightly back at her while carrying a two year younger her. He was someone that had broken through her walls. He was one of Riley's precious people.

The skin across Riley's back started splitting open at a painstakingly slow pace.

He was one of her best friends. He would have done anything for her and her him. He, unfortunately, also awakened her long buried conscience.

She finally felt her cheekbone break with a snap. Harry's face flashed in her mind.

She was wrong. She had no right to get angry with him. Secrets had been kept from him all of his life. People had only told him what _they_ deemed he needed to know. He had just assumed that Riley was doing the same thing. He didn't know her, let alone trust her. Therefore, he had no other reason to believe otherwise. She felt like an ass.

She sighed and ran a hand through her long hair. She glanced over at the picture once again and it seemed as if Jason's amused eyes changed to a small glare.

'_Yeah, I get it! So drop the whole conscience crap. I already feel bad about it!'_ Riley thought while looking up through the ceiling. The answering chuckle from the ceiling only succeeded in making her eye twitch as she returned to watching the comatose body in front of her.

'_Damn spirits.'_

* * *

"Yeah? Why can't you just explain completely?" He asked 'Cherry'.

The red headed woman tilted her head back and laughed.

"Maybe you are as dense as I had thought." She stated with her sweet smile on her face.

"It means . . . that in order for a Guardian to heal his or her charge . . . that they have to feel every ounce of pain that said charge went through. Every injury copies itself onto the Angel's body, to remind them of what they didn't protect their charge from. Then after the charge is in the Guardian's protection, every time that a charge is injured the Angel will feel the same amount of pain as the charge anyways." Amoretta/Cherry tilted her head back and laughed.

"I wish I could watch what Riley is going through right now."

Harry's eye twitched. He could honestly say that he was close to hating this woman. He turned away from her, unable to look at 'Cherry' any longer. His thoughts then turned to another gold-eyed woman. Her eyes however, seemed warmer and more comforting. Now she was sitting up there feeling like she was taking a beating for someone that she didn't even know. Malfoy was going to owe her big.

Debt. Harry had said that she owed him. That she was supposed to help him. Now every time that he got hurt, Riley would feel it. She wasn't allowed to leave them, wasn't allowed to have her own life. Her entire existence was devoted to her charges. To Hermione, to him. Yeah, he felt smart now.

* * *

Riley dragged herself down the hall, one hand pressing against the wall to keep the world steady. She hated concussions. She pulled herself into one of the extra bathrooms and quietly shut the door behind her. Using the door as her support she allowed her body to slide down to the floor.

Draco had healed nicely. All of his injuries were now magically cured quicker then any spell or potion could possibly mend. Now all Riley had to do was take a shower to remove her own blood from her abused body. It was a feeling that she had grown accustomed to though. After millenniums of protecting people she had needed to heal a fair share. Besides pain is a completely mental thing and could easily be ignored. The pain wasn't what was causing Riley's legs to shake beneath her. Her legs were shaking because she used so much magic on healing him.

Riley stripped off of her clothes and threw them into the trashcan. The blood that stained them would not come out and she was too lazy to actually try to wash them properly.

She turned on the water in the shower and immediately stepped inside. It was cold, but it kept her wide awake and revived the dull energy in her body. She watched the water by her feet turn more and more pink as the blood mixed with water made it's way down her body. Little streams flowed to remind her of what he had suffered. Her pain was irrelevant in comparison to her charges. That was the point of healing them with her magic.

Her head fell foreword as she let the water seep all the way to her scalp before running over her face.

Finally the water seemed clear again. It swirled in between her toes and calmed her body. Even though it was cold water, the simplicity of the small pitter-patter of water hitting tiles calmed her normally agitated spirit. It allowed her to think clearer. Like what she was going to do with Hermione, Harry, and Draco.

It was obvious that they were all enemies. It was also obvious that they wouldn't be cooperating well together. The interesting part was going to be what happened when they were all face to face again.

'_Boohoo for them then. I'm sick and tired of dealing with all this bullshit. They'll learn to like each other.'_

Riley ran her hand through her soaking locks.

Then there was the issue of Amoretta. Riley needed her to leave soon. Besides Amoretta had her own charges to harass.

The water finally shut off and Riley stepped out and wrapped a towel around her now clean body. She walked past the foggy mirror and opened the bathroom door. She ignored the dull pulsing in her head and walked into her room to see that the blonde boy hadn't woken up yet. Carefully, she walked over to her wardrobe and dropped her towel while she stood trying to find what she was going to wear.

She settled on at least picking out her underwear. A cute pair of dark green boy shorts, she smiled. They were her favorite pair and she knew that there was a matching bra that went with them. She stepped into the boy shorts and slid them up her long toned legs.

Draco Malfoy chose this point to struggle into consciousness. He suppressed the groan that tried to escape from his parched lips. Instead he slowly opened up his eyes and pushed his tired body up to rest against the cushioned headboard behind him.

'_Wait cushioned headboard?'_ Draco thought to himself as he finally took in his surroundings.

He was lying in a comfortable bed with gold and white sheets. There was light coming through two French doors from his left, but Draco noticed none of this. All he noticed was that there was a woman standing with her back to him just across the room in nothing but a pair of dark green boy shorts. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled over her shoulders revealing the dark ink of a tattoo.

It was an oriental dragon that glided across her back starting just above the intoxicating green underwear that she was wearing. It's tail started just above her unbearably low panties and the body swerved all the way up her beautiful back to rest just below the nape of her neck. The dragon's body was wrapped around what looked like an oriental character that seemed to fit perfectly with the dragon.

It was one of the most amazing tattoos he had ever seen. It looked like it was alive and could start flowing around her body at any moment.

Draco had to be dreaming he decided. A beautiful girl was in front of him with his name practically tattooed on her. (A/N: For those of you that don't know, Draco means dragon in Latin) She was tall, lean, tan, and had long glorious legs that led up to a perfect behind. He was content with what his imagination had made up and couldn't stop the smirk that formed on his lips. Her arms came back pulling dark green straps to a bra with them. Her fingers deftly hooked the clasp. His hands twitched slightly wondering if he would get to remove said article of clothing in this glorious dream. Unfortunately his dream came to an abrupt halt.

"As much as your staring flatters me, Harry and Hermione will be coming through that door in five seconds and it would probably be in your best interest to pretend to still be unconscious."

Draco tilted his head. Just as he was about to ask why the door to his right swung open and he immediately forced his body back against the bed as instincts kicked in.

Hermione came rushing in with Harry following close behind. Though he quickly looked down at the floor when he noticed Riley's state of undress.

"Riley! That woman is awful! She-she-" Hermione started sounding flustered. "You have a tattoo?"

Riley turned around and noticed the blush on both Harry and Hermione's cheeks and sighed, deciding to ignore Hermione's question. She quickly crossed the room to the door. Using one hand to support her as she leaned out into the hallway she finally called down to Amoretta.

"It was lovely seeing you Amoretta-,"

"Cherry, love."

Riley grimaced.

"Right, sorry _Cherry_, but I'm afraid that we will have to cut the reunion short. I'm sorry to say that we are a little busy and I'm sure that there are people that need your expertise." Riley yelled with that sickly sweet voice again making them all raise their eyebrows, though Malfoy's was internal as he was pretending to be comatose.

Riley moved away from the door and started heading back to her closet when the other happy voice called her back.

"Oh I quite understand, but unfortunately I am tied to this chair." Came another annoyingly sweet voice back.

Riley walked back to the door while rolling her eyes. Once again she leaned out and snapped her fingers. They all heard the scrapping of the chair against the floor and footsteps.

"Thank you for your lovely hospitality, but I'm afraid that we have business to attend to later." Amoretta called as she pulled open the front door.

There was another snap that was heard through the house and suddenly a deep gash appeared on Riley's arm, she only glanced at the laceration as blood trickled down her arm.

"Indeed." Riley said in her normal deep tone.

Amoretta's sickening giggle carried all the way up the house and only stopped after the front door closed.

Riley sighed. The wound on her arm was already gone. Harry and Hermione could only stare at the blood that remained on her arm in shock. Riley moved agilely across the room to sit gently on the bed.

"Come on kid you can get up now." Riley said softly to Malfoy.

He slowly opened his eyes and pushed himself up into a sitting position. He remembered this girl from the other day. She offered him a kind smile and pressed her hand to his forehead.

"Good you don't have a fever." Riley said smiling, "Does your head hurt?"

He shook his head.

"Good. My name is Riley, it's nice to meet you." She reached and offered her hand. Malfoy hesitantly took it looking at her suspiciously. She smiled and shook his hand before pushing herself off of the bed and walking to the closet once again. It was then that he finally realized that he wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Why the bloody hell am I not dressed?!" Draco finally had the sense to yell.

A shirt suddenly came flying at him and hit him in the face. Riley still faced her closet and started to pull out her new outfit. Draco examined the shirt critically and immediately recognized the emblem on the inside of the collar. Draco would seldom admit that he liked muggle clothes, but when he would the first name that fell from his lips was Ozwald Boateng.

"Well at least someone else here has some class." Draco said sneering at Harry and Hermione.

"Here I thought muggle clothes weren't good enough for you Malfoy. Well, what with you spouting about how muggles are dirty and vile creatures." Hermione spat back.

"Seeing as how I have nothing else to wear." Draco drawled.

"If you are all going to argue about clothes, I can easily solve this problem." Riley warned, but not one of them listened.

"You're still a prat! Someone gives you something to wear, even though they don't know you and you complain about it. You're more trouble then you are worth Malfoy. I don't even know why we helped you!" Harry said.

Malfoy slipped the shirt over his head and stood up so that he was facing the two Gryffindors.

"You're starting to sound less saintly Potter. I can just picture your parents turning in their graves."

"_Viduo." _Riley said softly holding out her arms.

Hermione yelped and quickly wrapped her arms around her now semi-exposed body. Harry and Malfoy looked down almost simultaneously only to see that they were only standing there in their boxers.

"What the-" Malfoy began as he whipped around to glare at the now dressed girl from before.

"There. Clothes started your fight now you have no clothes. I can't think of a more fitting consequence." Riley said with a smile while throwing the pile of clothes that was in her arms into the closet behind her. She grabbed her wand and waved it once causing all of the clothes inside to disappear.

She smiled and then turned and then turned to the boxer-ed Harry and bra/panty-ed Hermione. Quickly taking in Harry's relatively tan skin and delectable six-pack. Riley wouldn't deny it, she was shallow and she enjoyed eye candy.

"I'm sorry, but I need to talk to…" Riley looked over her shoulder and tilted her head at the blonde hoping that he got the point.

"Draco… Draco Malfoy." He said suavely.

Riley raised her eyebrows.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy for a while. Harry you can cook right?" Riley asked.

Harry just nodded his head still slightly uncomfortable standing in only his boxers.

"Good, if you could start something for dinner that would be great." Riley said sincerely.

Harry tilted his head, "Yeah sure, but can we have our clothes back?"

Riley laughed and shook her head, "Later."

With that she quickly shooed the blushing Hermione and an awkward Harry out of the room and shut the door behind them. As she turned around she noticed the smirk on Draco's face and raised her eyebrow and quickly took in his pale skin and toned torso.

"Couldn't wait to get me out of my clothes and alone now could you?" He said smugly.

Riley's eyebrow rose even higher.

"Sorry to crush your hopes . . . Riley? But I'm not that easy."

Riley smirked back.

"Good to know. I'm sure that comforts your mother at night. Sorry baby, but you're a little too light for me anyways." Riley said slightly mockingly.

His eyes narrowed slightly all smugness gone.

"So you have one?" Riley asked tilting her head slightly.

"Mum? Of course I do."

"Then how is your dear ol' mum?" Riley asked smiling with a false British accent.

Draco glared, "Peachy."

Riley wiggled her eyebrows at Draco's tone.

"Oh that's good to hear." She replied.

"And yours?" Draco inquired carefully watching Riley as she walked past him and sat down in the middle of the bed. He knew what he was doing. He was going to be testing her. He had no idea who this person was, so he wasn't going to let his guard down. It would be best to ask pointless questions for the time being.

"Oh, wonderful I'd suppose. I haven't seen her for a while though, but she has two kids to take care of so I doubt if she even knows how she is doing." Riley said with a smile.

"Shame." Draco said while carefully sitting on the bed and leaning against the headboard.

Riley shrugged. She was testing him too. He knew that the questions were only going to get deeper and harsher. Then again he was raised around Death Eaters and he knew how to handle himself.

"You sound as though you haven't talked to your mum. She didn't want you?" He asked with a small sneer.

Riley smiled, "Oh no. She wanted me. She wanted me the same as everyone that wants a way out. Can you say the same?"

"I'm an heir. She _needs_ me." Draco said smugly.

"Needs and wants make no difference. They are the same thing, people just label them differently as an excuse to make themselves feel better." Riley said simply.

"You're wrong. Needs are things that you can't live without, wants can go ignored." Draco said condescendingly.

"Is that so?" Riley asked.

She waited for Draco to ask another question, but when none came she took the initiative.

"So, what am I supposed to call you? Mr. Malfoy, Draco, Malfoy, Dray, Drake, D?"

"I couldn't care less. And you?"

"I don't care." Riley said.

"Whose the guy?" Draco asked gesturing to the picture frame on her end table.

"A friend. Whose the necklace from?" Riley said gesturing to the green crystal that was wrapped delicately with a silver wire.

Draco looked down and was relieved to find that it was still there. He almost wondered why she hadn't removed it.

"A friend." He replied, "How is he?"

"Dead." Riley answered, "Yours?"

"Dead. How?"

"Voldemort tortured him to death." Riley said simply noticing Draco's eye twitch slightly, "And how did yours die?"

"Gas explosion." He replied.

He was silent. She looked happy in that picture. Truly happy. She looked the exact same way that he had with her.

"Green tourmaline." She said while leaning forewords to inspect it. Draco could feel her warm breath fan out against his chest as she examined the stone.

"Supposedly it's supposed to promote courage, friendship, love, and peace. Silver is supposed to attract love and also protects the wearer from evil. I'm going to guess that a girl gave it to you."

Riley leaned back and Draco could feel her warmth receding away. He was almost relieved except he now seemed as cold as he was before.

"Why would the Dark Lord care about him?" Draco asked harsher then he had intended.

"Because he believed that he could give him information on the light's side."

"How do you know that the Dark Lord tortured him to death."

"He was kind enough to send me the memories." Riley said no note of bitterness in her voice though she was inwardly glaring at the brat in front of her.

"So, finally decide to leave your bastard father?"

"My father's not a bastard." Draco spat out.

Riley laughed, "Right. So, I'll be _assuming_ then that you decided to go walking through some dark alley without your wand, allowed yourself to get mugged, and . . . oh and you are a cutter and that's how you explain the other scars is it?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at Riley and glanced down at his torso. There were no bruises, no cuts, no pain and no scars from any of his recent cuts and his old ones had faded significantly.

"I have to say, I'm surprised that you actually left. Though you didn't exactly do what I told you to." Riley said slowly watching Malfoy realize what she was talking about.

"So that really was you." He said quietly, "How…?"

Riley sighed, "Look, circumstances are making things a little different this time around, so here's some honesty. I'm a Guardian Angel. You're my charge. I protect you by any means possible. Clear enough?"

"A what?" He asked with his eyebrow raised.

Riley tilted her head side-to-side and relaxed with the loud cracks that made Malfoy flinch.

"A Guardian Angel. The things that little kids believe protect them." Riley said slowly as if she was talking to someone that had just learned English.

"Right." Draco's skepticism dripped off of the words, "And the Dark Lord is going to be found skipping through a field of posies."

Riley's eyebrow twitched. Her body tensed and then her two massive wings reappeared out of her back. Quicker then Draco could catch, her left wing shot forewords and pinned Draco down to the bed.

"There have been odder things then Voldemort _skipping_ in a field of _posies_." Riley said calmly.

Malfoy's eyes were wide as he started desperately trying to push the soft wing off of his chest. His struggles soon became only feeble attempts as he felt warmth spreading through his normally cold body. His skin felt warmed all the way from the tips of his toes to the shells of his ears. It felt comforting, warm, protected: exactly how he had imagined a loved one's embrace would fell.

Riley felt him stop struggling and withdrew her wing. Malfoy's body suddenly felt like someone had just thrown a bucket of ice-cold water at him. He shot up so he was sitting once again.

"Don't ever do that again!" The words spilled from his mouth like venom even though he wanted nothing more then to feel the warmth again.

Riley smiled and did a quick tilt of her head.

"Well seeing as you don't feel like actually having a decent conversation and I personally have no desire to have a monologue at the moment. There is going to be dinner downstairs. I suggest that you come and get something to eat."

Riley pushed herself off of the bed and went over to the door. She paused only for a second and Draco leapt off the bed so as not to be left.

Draco followed Riley into the kitchen and saw that Potter was busying himself with several pots on the stove and Hermione was sitting back and watching with rapt attention. All three of them were in nothing but their underwear. He briefly took in the fact that Hermione seemed to be better developed then he had originally thought. Yet, the fact the she was still a 'mudblood' disgusted him.

Suddenly he winced at the thought. His own thinking was like a disgusting habit. One that had been ingrained into his mind over years, but it wasn't only a mental habit; it was now a physical habit. The pain that accompanied 'weak thinking' as his father had called had made the lesson skin deep in a not so pleasant way.

Riley smiled at her three charges, standing in nothing but there underwear. For some reason the sight was amusing. Though she was fairly sure that the message had gotten through. So with a sigh she mumbled the incantation while flicking her wrists towards the semi-naked people, instantly clothing them.

Harry and Hermione finally looked up to see Malfoy standing next to Riley in the kitchen. Harry gave a slight nod in Riley's direction in appreciation for the clothes and then went back to attending the pots.

The silence in the air was unnerving. The tension between the three Hogwarts students was insane. Riley cracked her neck once again and walked over to stand besides Harry.

"Watcha' makin'?" She whispered into his ear.

For some reason this seemed incredibly funny to Harry as he chuckled lightly drawing attention from the two non-participating parties in the kitchen. He turned his head slightly while Riley leaned farther over his shoulder so that he could whisper back into her ear.

"You'll just have to wait and see." He said with a smile.

Riley's mock glared at him and then glanced over at the other two.

"Now that's not very nice." Riley said quietly.

Harry laughed a bit more his voice still low so that the others couldn't hear them, "So why exactly did you decide to come and whisper in my ear when you could very easily have asked from over there."

Riley grinned, her eyes once again seemed like liquid gold.

"Ahh . . . too much tension in here. Besides you are relatively entertaining and wouldn't have jumped when I started whispering in your ear like Hermione. I already talked to the other kid and I've no more patience for him at the moment."

This time Harry actually laughed out loud causing Hermione and Draco to raise their eyebrows in suspicion.

"You have no patience for anyone Riley." Harry stated calmly.

Riley smiled and leaned closer again, the heavy weight in her chest driving her actions.

"You know… I really am sorry for what I did earlier." Riley said sincerely in Harry's ear.

Guilt spread through him as he remembered the argument that had occurred earlier that day.

"Me too. I didn't mean that you owed me anything." He said while he turned to face Riley fully.

Riley's smile grew.

"I'll forgive you, if you forgive me." She said.

Harry smiled back and nodded. Riley held her arms out and hugged Harry tight. He hesitated for a second before cautiously wrapping his arms around Riley in turn.

"I don't bite if that's what you're worried about." Riley whispered into his ear while pulling away with a smile on her face.

Harry laughed and went back to stirring the pot.

"I think that we have established that fact." He said in a normal voice.

Riley shrugged, "Just a friendly reminder."

Hermione's eye twitched slightly. She felt her fingers curling tightly into small fists as she watched Riley and Harry laugh. The logical side in her seemed to wake up and relax her hands.

'_What was that about?' _Hermione asked herself.

"We seriously need to teach you how to hug properly." Riley stated as she walked over to the other side of the cook top drawing Hermione out of her musings.

"I can hug just fine." Harry said with a blush rising on his cheeks.

Riley wiggled her eyebrows. "Blushing Mister Potter, something you would like to share?"

A gob of red sauce went flying for Riley's head, she ducked and came back up smiling as the sauce splattered against the wall.

"You obviously aren't a chaser. Your aim is horrible!" She laughed.

Harry's eye started twitching and suddenly there were gobs of red sauce flying through the air while Riley ran around the kitchen avoiding them. She disappeared from the opposite side of the counter and Harry froze in anticipation. He had another spoonful of sauce at the ready. Before he realized what was happening a strong-delicate hand grabbed his arm and jerked it back slapping the red sauce across his face.

He blinked and he heard Riley let out a small amused gasp. His eyes narrowed slightly and suddenly there was sauce in Riley's hair from Harry's spoon in retaliation.

"Ah…" Riley said in shock, her mouth hanging wide.

She closed her mouth delicately and glanced at Harry smiling at her. She smiled and made an almost unnoticeable gesture towards the other two. Harry nodded his accent and suddenly the sauce was flying through the room once again making smacking sounds as the made contact with Draco and Hermione's bodies.

Hermione fell off of the stool that she had been sitting on. Malfoy immediately reached for his wand only to remember that he had forgotten to grab it.

Hermione immediately jumped off of the floor and started scooping up some of the sauce and tossed it back at Riley and Harry causing them to duck at the same time. Hermione, loosing her targets, turned and started throwing the sauce at Malfoy.

'_Damn Seeker skills!_' She thought as Malfoy dodged out of the way.

Draco didn't know what came over him, but he dove towards the pot, grabbed a handful of sauce and launched it straight for Hermione. Her arm froze in midair as the red goo splattered across her face. A smirk spread across his features with pride over his accomplishment.

For a second everything seemed frozen. Then a chocked laugh escaped from Riley's mouth sent Hermione into a whirlwind of sauce flinging. Her main target: Draco Malfoy.

He dove behind the island and started flinging sauce back at Hermione not noticing the look that Riley gave Harry.

Suddenly, Malfoy and Hermione found themselves under fire by red slime coming from the two instigators.

Hermione tried to go for more of the tomato goop, but had slipped and fallen on the saucy floor. She looked over and saw that Malfoy was being bombarded by red as he dove behind a kitchen chair.

The walls were covered with the tomato paste and made it look like someone had a bloody battle within the kitchen and had enjoyed hacking their victims to pieces.

The red rain finally seized. Riley and Harry stood on the other side of the island clutching onto each other for support as the laughed. Hermione burst out laughing too, much to Draco's horror.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you people?!" He yelled from behind his chair, watching as the all laughed hysterically.

They could all only spare him a quick glance before once again dissolving into hysterics.

"You people are crazy." He mumbled under his breath.

He decided that there was something funny in that sauce because suddenly a small smirk spread across his face even though he tried to fight it.

**Whose this Amoretta/Cherry chick? Why does she have business with Riley? Are Harry and Hermione going to get along with Malfoy? AHHHH the questions? lol**

The incantation that Riley sang is latin and means "You are arrayed as a person of high rank who has no mark nor wrinkle, you are also an angel's companion. Through whom all creation was summoned, now to you, sooth our ills, relieve our distress, to liberate us from our miseries and languishing" . . . yeah it took me a long time to figure out what Riley should sing there.

_Viduo- means to deprive, therefore to take away._

Hope that explains the spells.

Thank you for reading everyone! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter.

**REVIEW PLEASE**


	8. Chapter 8: Underestimating Muggles

**DISCLAIMER! Hmmm. . . Did Harry and Hermione end up together? NOPE! I don't own so don't sue.**

I am soooooo sorry for not updating sooner the school year has just been a bit hectic.

Anyways, thank you to everyone that reviewed! I definitely hope that you all like this chapter.

**The song for this chapter is. . . Meant to Live by Switchfoot. Once again not a perfect match, but it's close.**

Anyways enjoy!

* * *

Riley slid across the kitchen floor on her hands and knees. Red streaking behind her as she tried to clean up the food fight that had happened previously. It seemed like there was more tomato sauce everywhere then before. That could be from the failed spell to remove it cast by Harry.

Now all three of her charges were sitting on the bar stools watching Riley's odd way of cleaning. She was using a bucket and rags. Apparently, it was an odd way of cleaning because they had all gotten used to the magical world.

"Why don't you just use _Incendio_?" Asked Malfoy watching Riley scrub at the floor.

"All I would succeed in doing, would be to light the floor on fire and Damien would kill me, well as close to dead as I can be, if he found out I destroyed his kitchen." Riley said while scrubbing.

"What kind of a name is Damien?" Draco sneered.

"What kind of a name is Draco?" Riley said without looking up. "And Damien happens to be a guy that could easily kick your ass, so I wouldn't insult him if I were you."

There was a wet _plop_ as the rag Riley was using flew into the trashcan on the other side of the kitchen. A new rag had appeared and Riley was still scrubbing.

"Wait his kitchen?" Hermione finally asked.

Riley nodded her head, "This is his house, not mine. Each of us has a few houses that we let each other use if they are in that country."

"Are they all this big?" Hermione asked incredulously.

Riley shrugged, "Well sort of. Some are smaller, some are larger."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked.

"As in they all have at least 7 bedrooms. One for each of us." Riley said still scrubbing the floor.

"This house isn't that big." Malfoy drawled from his chair.

"Well some of us aren't spoiled brats Malfoy." Hermione stated.

"No one asked you Mud- Granger." Draco started, but he cut himself off.

Hermione's posture tensed a flash of pain crossing her eyes before she masked it with anger. Riley had seen it, but she wasn't sure if Harry or Draco had.

Hermione turned on Malfoy, "Go on say it. You were going to call me a mudblood, a _filthy mudblood_. You know what, you haven't changed at _all_ Malfoy. You're still the same ferret that you always were! Why are you even putting on the act that you've changed?! Go back to Lucius!"

"Like hell I'll go back there!" Draco spat glaring at Hermione.

"Why not? You two should get along great!" Hermione's voice was dripping with disdain, "You're the exact same!"

Draco shot out of his chair while pulling his wand, Hermione followed his example and pushed Harry off of his stool and out of the way. Suddenly both of their wands were flying through the air and some invisible force shoved them back into their chairs. Riley caught both wands without even looking up and stuck them into her pants.

Riley sighed and plopped the rag back into the bucket of water next to her. She rolled herself back so that she was sitting on her calves and folded her arms on top of her knees.

"I have never seen anyone as seemingly intelligent as you two act so stupidly." Riley stated, "Please explain to me what gives either of you the right to start a duel in the middle of someone else's kitchen?"

Hermione and Draco kept their mouths shut tight and alternated between glaring at Riley and each other.

Riley's eyes flashed for a second, but she took a deep breath and regained control.

"Harry?" Riley inquired, "Are you dead, or do you like sitting on the floor?"

Harry sighed, he had been pretty sure that they had all forgotten about him. He hauled himself off of the floor and seated himself into his seat. Looking down at Riley who seemed beyond annoyed.

"Hermione, you are a mudblood." A shocked look passed over her face allowing the pain to show through. Riley turned her attention to Draco ignoring Hermione's look.

"Draco, you are a Malfoy and your father is your father." Riley said stating what he wanted to ignore.

"I'm a demon. Harry is the Boy-Who-Lived. That's life. It's not right and it's not fair, but there it is. You are better then all of these names and they don't matter. Now, all of you _are_ going to stop fighting with each other. Or so help me Merlin, I will make you regret every insult that has ever passed your mouths. Understood?"

The glares were still intense, but Riley really didn't care, she had said her piece and now it was time to set the rules.

"Look, I understand that you all dislike each other-,"

"More then dislike." Hermione interrupted.

"But I don't care. You all bicker like little kids and it throws your magic way out of balance. Which is annoying as hell." Riley growled while returning scrubbing the floor completely annoyed with how stupid they could be.

Riley sighed, _'They, as in Hermione and Draco. Harry's been relatively well behaved. Well that's great, the one that is normally reasonable is now out of it and the reaction oriented one is reasonable. Lovely.'_

Finally Harry seemed to catch on to what Riley had just said. He was sitting in between Malfoy and Hermione as mediator, for once. He could honestly say he was failing his job. He could feel them still glaring at each other even after Riley had reprimanded them. So, best way to keep them from arguing . . . distract them.

"I thought that you didn't try to feel your charges magic." Harry said, ignoring Malfoy and Hermione's glares.

Riley sighed and pushed her hair back with her free hand.

"I normally don't, but I don't have much of a choice when I'm on my hands and knees in front of them. It's like when I turn my back to you."

Harry nodded, "So if I got good at it like you, would I be unable to turn it off in the same instances?"

Riley cracked her neck and then looked up at Harry, as if measuring him up.

"It's really a personal type of thing. It has nothing to do with the actual people that you're around, but your past experiences. You've had people attacking you all of your life, so most likely you would be exactly like me." Riley stated turning back to scrubbing the floor. "But . . . unless you are constantly practicing, it will take you a long time to get to that point."

"What are you two talking about?!" Malfoy finally snapped.

"Shut up." Harry told Malfoy, and then asked Riley, "How long did it take you to get to that point?"

Riley groaned, "What is it with you all and needing times! Ugh . . . I don't know, maybe 3 years? That was from learning from principles though, so I'd assume that it would take a lot less time if it was taught."

"3 years? We don't have 3 years." He dejectedly admitted.

Riley laughed, "Time is a funny thing like that. I've learned to ignore it."

The kitchen fell into silence again. Riley was still on the floor scrubbing and it was gradually becoming cleaner.

"So, is any one going to tell me what you two were talking about?" Malfoy asked again.

Hermione glanced over at Draco and rolled her eyes, "As much as I don't want to admit it, I'd like to know too."

Harry looked towards Riley and saw that she hadn't looked up from the floor. So, she didn't want to tell them.

"It was just a conversation that we had earlier. Nothing big or important." He lied.

Riley smiled down at her hands. So Harry had gotten the hint. Maybe he was an okay kid after all.

"So, Draco, what are you planning to do?" Riley asked moving on to a different section of the floor.

Malfoy tilted his head, "What do you mean?"

Riley looked up and smiled kindly at Malfoy, "I mean . . . are you still planning on seeking amnesty?"

Draco suddenly tensed in his seat. This wasn't a subject that he had thought about yet.

"I know that you don't want to talk about it, but in order for me to make plans for what I'm going to do with all of you, what _you_ want to do is kind of a third of what I should be worrying about." Riley said smiling at all three of them.

He felt warm again. He felt comforted just by Riley's smile and it made him nervous. He wasn't supposed to feel warm or comforted and he sure as hell wasn't supposed to feel nervous. He was a Malfoy, he never felt nervous . . . right?

"I don't have any of my stuff." The words had slipped out of his mouth without him realizing.

"Okay." Riley said while scrubbing. "Do you want your old wand?"

"I can't just leave it." He said quietly.

"True. I'm going to assume that your house has a summons ward on it also." Riley threw another soiled rag into the bucket and continued washing.

He nodded his head.

"That does mean that you have to go back there. You realize that right?" Riley asked looking back up at him.

He nodded his head again as the color drained from his face.

"I won't let you go alone kid. So, don't worry about that." Riley said smiling once again.

"No." Malfoy said, "If you came it would only make him angrier."

Riley smiled, "He wouldn't see me Draco. That way you at least know that there is someone there to help you."

"I don't want your help." He spat.

'_Yes, I do.'_ He thought. He didn't want to go alone, but he wasn't going to let his pride fade away.

Riley smiled. "It doesn't matter. I'll still help you this time."

She could feel his nervousness, his pride, and most of all his fear.

"Why are you doing this Riley?" Hermione asked finally. "Why are you helping him?"

Riley stood up and threw the last of the dirty rags away.

"He's my charge. I protect him the same as I protect you." Riley said simply.

She turned around and surveyed the now spotless kitchen and smiled. It almost felt like she was working back at the dojo and doing her chores. She smiled and turned her attention back to the broken blonde sitting on the barstool.

"So, tomorrow then?" She asked simply.

All Draco could do was nod his head and stare at his hands. Tomorrow was going to be one of the worst days of his life.

* * *

"Ow, Harry, your standing on my foot."

"Oh, sorry."

"It's fine."

Two loud smacks resounded in the midday air, followed by consecutive complaints.

"What was that for?"

"That hurt Riley."

"_Shut up."_ Riley hissed as they stepped up onto the driveway of a huge manor.

Hermione and Harry nodded their heads.

"Why did you two even come?" Draco spat out, cautiously looking left and right.

"Because we don't trust you." Harry's voice came from thin air.

"Exactly!" Draco sneered.

Three loud smacks echoed in the air.

"OW!" Came from three different places simultaneously.

"Once again..._ shut up!_"

Draco made his way as confidently as possibly up to the front entrance of the manor. Hermione, Harry, and Riley following behind him rendered invisible by Harry's useful cloak.

The manor in front of them was huge. It kind of resembled the white house to Riley. Big double staircases leading up to a raised double front door, great white pillars, and what appeared to be 5 floors of pure white marble. One word was enough to describe this house, excessive. She could hear Harry mumbling under his breath next to her, something about spoiled and bastards. Riley just smacked him over the head again earning herself another glare.

Finally reaching the front door, Draco could barely keep his hands from shaking. Walking away from this house had been hard. Coming back seemed impossible. He stilled his hand as best as he could and opened the door. No alarms sounded, no curses came flying at him. Maybe he had gone unnoticed. Maybe Lucius hadn't realized that his favorite punching bag had been missing for a day. Maybe he was home free, figuratively speaking. Then again, maybe not.

"DRACO!" Lucius' grating voice carried through the entire manor, causing Draco's skin to crawl. "GET IN HERE!"

The younger Malfoy's head fell to stare at his immobile feet. At least, they were immobile for a second until they started moving in a direction that he desperately wanted to avoid. It was ingrained into his mind and body. If his father called him, Draco would come, a lesson that he had learned when he was a kid. He climbed the grand marble staircase. His feet dragging every step even as he walked down a long hall and paused shortly before turning into his father's study. Completely forgetting that there was anyone else with him. The back of his father's leather chair faced him from the other side of the room. Lucius slowly spun his chair and Draco almost backpedaled. Lucius' gray eyes bore into his son as if he wanted to tare Draco limb from limb.

"Where have you been?" His voice even and concealing all future intentions.

"Blaise's. He sent me an owl and told me he needed help with some school work." Draco lied. Blaise and him had set up this lie a long time ago as an escape route.

"What made you think that you could just leave?" Lucius asked simply.

Draco hesitated slightly, "I didn't think it was a problem."

"I see, and what happened to all of your bruises?"

"48 hour Glamour Charm." Draco said thickly.

Lucius raised his eyebrow and nodded his head.

"Is that so?" Slowly pulling out his wand and pointing it at Draco's face.

Draco started shaking. If his father found out that all of his bruises were actually gone, he was done for. Riley's hand rose underneath Harry's invisibility cloak and pointed her wand at Draco.

"_Finite Incantatem!_" Lucius said loudly.

"_Estrite._" Riley whispered.

Slowly bruises and abrasions appeared on Draco's face and every portion of his visible skin. Draco let out a sigh of relief as he saw a fake bruise appear on his hand.

"Good job. It was a smart decision to hide your appearance. However that doesn't change the fact that you disobeyed me Draco." Lucius drawled, watching Draco's eyes widen slightly.

"I didn't disobey you." Draco spluttered.

"_Crucio!_" Lucius cried an evil light blazing behind his dead gray eyes.

Draco fell down to all fours. His entire body trembling as he kept himself from screaming, however he wasn't able to stop the short yell that escaped from his lips as his body was wracked with stabbing pain.

A hand, Riley's to be specific, quickly clapped over Hermione's mouth as she almost screamed out for Draco. Her eyes were wide, watching in shock as Draco writhed on the ground in pain. Pain that was inflicted by a person that was supposed to love the blonde, and knowing that she could do nothing to stop it.

"Don't ever disagree with me Draco!" Lucius spat and lifted his wand off of his son, allowing him to get to his feet. "Now onto your real punishment."

Draco's body tensed, but he had no opportunity to defend himself.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Lucius yelled watching with joy as Draco went flying backwards and slammed into the wall behind him. His body sliding limply down the plaster while Lucius smirked at his son.

The older Malfoy stepped up and stood over his son before kicking him in the ribs, rolling him over onto his back. A series of cracks made Hermione wince as she watched Draco cough and vainly trying to fill his lungs with air. The back of Draco's head was slowly turning red as blood matted his hair together. He seemed to be gritting his teeth to keep from crying out.

"I really expected more of you Draco." Lucius stated sneering down at his son.

"_Dilabor!_" Lucius cried.

There was a loud snap as Draco's forearm was twisted and bent in a way that it was never supposed to go causing him to let out a strangled cry.

Hermione now had her own hand clamped over Riley's, holding tightly. She wanted to scream for him. Lucius had proceeded to kicking and hitting every inch of Draco that he could get a piece of. The boy lying on the ground and rolling with the hits as best he could.

"Shit." Riley murmured underneath the cloak. Lucius was still completely ignorant of his audience. "Do the Malfoy's have house elves?"

"What?" Whispered Harry, also unable to tear his eyes off of his blonde schoolmate.

"Do they have fucking house elves?" Riley whispered trying to control herself. Watching a charge getting the shit kicked out of him tended to put her on edge.

"Yes." Hermione whispered. Blood was now leaking out of Draco's mouth, his arm clutched tightly to his chest trying vainly to keep it from hurting.

"_Sectumsempra!_"

A long gash carved its way into Draco's flesh. His body arched off of the floor in pain as he yelled out. He was pale, paler then normal. Sweat trickled down his brow as he bit on his tongue to keep quiet. He couldn't take much more of this.

A shocked gasp came from the doorway causing four heads to whip around towards the door. There was a small female house elf standing in the doorway, her eyes wide and hands trembling.

Lucius' attention turned to the elf as her ears turned down.

"Ex-Excuse T-Tinky sir! Tinky didn't mean to inter-,"

Lucius had stepped in front of the elf and kicked it once good in the stomach sending the small thing flying through the air into the wall.

"I am not to be disturbed in my study! All of you worthless creatures know that. Where did you come from, I don't remember your vile face." Lucius spat as he picked the elf up by the rag that she wore.

"T-Tinky is n-new sir! Tinky w-will be pu-punished for Tinky's wrong!" The tiny elf cried out holding onto Lucius' arm.

Lucius fist flew into Tinky's face as she yelped in pain. With a sudden jerk of his arm the small elf was once again soaring through the air as it slammed against the wall out in the hall and slid down unconscious into an undignified heap. The tall blonde turned back and saw his son still heaped on the ground slowly struggling to stand up.

"Get yourself cleaned up." Lucius spat as he strode out of the room slamming the door besides him.

Harry and Hermione waited until they couldn't hear his footsteps before ripping off the invisibility cloak. Hermione slid on her knees over to Draco and tried to look at how serious his injuries were. She had to stifle a gasp as all three of them watched each of his wounds healed. His cuts slowly stitching themselves back together, bruises fading back into the normal skin color, and his arm snapping as the bones realigned themselves and healed. Draco looked up confusion written across his face, hoping to get an answer from the other two standing in the room with him, but his eyes narrowed slightly as he realized what they had just witnessed.

'_Saw how weak I was.' _He thought turning his face away from Hermione and Harry.

"_Tergeo_" Hermione said strongly while her hands shook. Her wand pointing at the blood that matted Draco's fine hair causing it to instantly return to it's shinny blonde.

Hermione sat silent for a moment before quickly standing up and moving towards the door. Wrenching the heavy wood out of place she jumped when she was met face to face with an annoyed Riley. Riley tilted her head and circled her tongue in her mouth before turning and spitting out a gob of blood onto the floor to the side of Hermione. She raised her eyebrows and pushed the bushy haired girl back into the study while she stepped in. Her three charges watching as what would be a nasty bruise disappeared from Riley's cheek.

"I suggest that we get out of here as soon as possible." Riley said while cracking her neck.

The rest just nodded their heads stupidly as Riley smeared the remaining blood off of her lips.

* * *

Draco was now running around throwing things into the magically enhanced, military green duffle bag that Riley had given him to collect his stuff. Books, cloaks, quills, and parchment alike were flying through the air into the bag as Draco hurriedly tried to gather everything that he would need. Riley was also helping to grab random things and throwing them into the bag and watching as Draco rushed around his room. Hermione and Harry had been told just to sit on his bed so that they didn't get in his way. Riley's words also rang through their heads, _"One rule don't touch."_ Riley however was allowed to do whatever she wanted because Draco seemed to think she was more worthy. He was still unable to look any of them in the eye. Riley had expected that though, so she made no attempt to get him to look at her. People always needed to hide in their own ways. Hermione however had questions.

"Why did Draco's wounds heal like that?" Hermione asked Riley as the other woman walked around the large bed.

Riley tilted her head, but didn't look back, keeping her attention on the drawer in front of her. She could feel all three of her charges gazes on her back though. Draco's was actually focused on the base of her neck.

"The spell I used to heal him the first time works until all of the magic I put into it is used. I put a bit extra in it to make sure that nothing was too weak in his body."

A pair of silk black boxers went flying over Riley's head into the bag behind her. Draco's eyebrow raised as a smirk slowly appeared on his face.

"Can't keep your hands off of my underwear I see." He said.

Riley kept riffling through the drawer and another pair went soaring over her head.

"More like, don't want to lend you Damien's underwear. It would give the guy an excuse to steal mine." Riley said simply.

Hermione looked up and then turned to Riley.

"Wait, isn't Damien a Guardian Angel?"

"Yup."

"And he's a pervert?"

Riley sighed and threw a pair of Draco's boxers so that it hit Hermione in the face.

"Warped concepts."

Hermione held the offending article of clothing away from her with her thumb and forefinger.

"Right."

Riley turned away from the dresser that she had currently just emptied and made her way over to Draco's desk. She quickly organized his homework into a neat stack and set it inside a book before tossing it into the sack. She caught a quick glimpse of Draco studying Hermione as she pulled out clothes from the duffle bag and folded them neatly before replacing them back in. Riley turned her back on them and gave a small smile.

_At least they aren't arguing. _She thought.

Each of the desk drawers were opened and sifted through in search of anything that should be kept. Luckily Riley didn't have to look to hard as most of the drawers just had quills, parchment, and ink. The right had top drawer though caught her attention as she looked inside. The rest of Draco's drawers were neat but not this neat. Everything in this drawer was arranged perfectly. The quills were perfectly straight next to ink well and all of it lay on top of untouched parchment. Riley gently moved the items and lifted up the parchment. Underneath lay a picture of a small blonde boy smiling and holding hands with a little girl. The picture reminded Riley so much of herself with Jason. Quickly glancing behind her, she checked to make sure that no one had noticed and slipped the picture into her pants being careful not to crease it. It would be best to ask Draco privately.

Looking around the room showed how empty it finally was. Books were missing, there were barely any clothes left in the drawers or closets. Anything useful had been removed and thrown into the bag. Now the only thing left to do was to leave.

"Okay. Time to leave." Riley said while zipping up the duffle bag and swinging it over her shoulder.

"The front door isn't an option. Do you have any other way to get out of this house?" Riley asked Draco.

He nodded and hesitantly looked up at Riley.

"There's a door in the kitchen that leads out into the gardens." He replied quietly.

Riley nodded her head and smiled, "Well then, lead the way."

With that said Riley grabbed the invisibility cloak and threw it over Harry and Hermione. With the duffle bag they wouldn't all fit under it and seeing as Riley was probably the sneakiest of them all, it would be easier if she just walked and hid when necessary. She walked to the door and pressed an ear against it. After she finally nodded her head they all quickly made their way out following Malfoy's lead.

It seemed like the corridors went on forever now as they plodded silently along. Something about the getting out part was worse then getting in. Maybe it was the fact that if they didn't get in . . . well Draco would have had to buy a new wand, but they would have lived with it. If they got _in_, but didn't get _out_, well then the living part seemed be thrown out the window.

These halls were disturbing. It was disturbing because it was nothing like Hermione had ever pictured the Malfoy Manor to look like. The carpet was a rich red while the walls were made of gray stone that was illuminated by torches every 15 feet and pillars in between each torch. The one thing that Hermione had been right about though, were the incredibly vain paintings on the walls and occasional copper statue. Each one depicted a Malfoy, with their bleach blonde locks, and aristocratic features. Even though she was under the invisibility cloak with Harry, she felt as if their eyes followed her every step.

Harry had his wand drawn and clutched tightly in his hand. There was no way that he was going to let someone sneak up on him. Each corridor that they turned down seemed to be getting longer. Harry noticed that this wasn't the same path that they had used to come up. He was about to ask when something caught his attention.

A golden cup, not just any golden cup, but the one with Helga Hufflepuff's seal engraved into it. He froze causing Hermione to almost trip over him. Hermione sent him a small glare before noticing that his attention was not on her. Her gaze followed his until it rested on the same object that caught her breath.

* * *

"Wait." Riley whispered.

Draco paused and turned to look at her.

Riley was looking left and right and then spun around. She finally stopped moving and then became very still.

"Shit." She stated as she started to head back they way they had come from.

Draco quickly caught up to her and glared.

"What are you doing?" He ground out.

A shiver ran down Riley's back. She turned her head up to look at the ceiling.

"Damn it!" She whispered.

Quickly she spun around and grabbed Draco's arm and then forced them through a doorway to her right just before someone in a long black cape turned down the hall and continued down the way they had come from.

* * *

"Is that what I think it is Hermione?" Harry whispered cautiously.

She nodded, "I think so."

He looked down the corridor. No one was there. Apparently they had lost Riley and Draco. He looked back towards the goblet.

"We should take it." He said quietly.

Hermione started to chew on her lip.

"I don't know. Why would they just leave it out in the open?" She asked.

He rolled his eyes, "This is the Malfoy's we're talking about Hermione. They would want to show off anything that Voldemort entrusted them with."

Hermione shook her head again.

"I don't think that you could just pick it up Harry. That would be too easy." She said quietly.

"Hermione how easy was it to destroy Tom's diary?" He asked while shifting closer to the pedestal that the goblet was placed on.

"You had to fight a basalisk Harry!" She whispered.

"Yes, but the diary itself. All I had to do was stab it." He said.

"Still-"

"And we'll have to get this eventually. Look it's just sitting there. Maybe it is that easy." He said simply.

Slowly he reached his hands out and grabbed the goblet. Hermione closed her eyes tightly the second his fingertips came in contact with it. She opened one eye and saw that his hands were wrapped around the goblet. She let out a sigh of relief.

An ear-piercing scream shattered the silence coming from the goblet that was now lifted off of its perch.

"NOT THAT EASY!" Hermione yelled over the noise while whipping out her wand.

* * *

Riley and Draco winced at the ear-shattering shriek. Riley punched the wall next to her.

"What in your house has the Andras Ward on it?" Riley asked quickly.

"What? Andras-" Draco started.

Riley sighed, "Never mind."

She wrenched the door open and took a step out into the hall only to jump back inside to avoid a curse flying her way. It crashed into a mirror and then flew right by Riley's arm and into the room behind her. She turned around and watched Draco's pale face loose what little color it had. She looked down and saw his hands covering a gaping hole in his stomach. It started to heal itself. She leaned down and watched as the muscle underneath knitted itself back together. It was healing well then suddenly it stopped half way through healing the skin on top.

"Fan-fucking-tastic."

* * *

Hermione whipped out her wand and pointed it at the goblet in Harry's hand.

"_Emplar!_"

Another exact replica of the goblet fell onto the floor.

Hermione pulled the invisibility cloak off of them and stuffed it underneath her sweatshirt.

"If someone finds us, it would be best if they didn't know we had that." She stated while turning to face the end of the corridor just in time to see a group of death eaters making their way towards them.

* * *

"You bloody prat!" Riley yelled at the death eater that had shot the curse at her. She was using a perfect British accent.

The other death eater tensed up slightly watching as Riley stepped out in billowing black robes. Her sleeves were rolled up and showed off a trembling dark mark on her left forearm. Draco following her out with blood streaming down his stomach. The death eater's eyes got wide as they landed on the heir of Malfoy.

"I'm sure that our Lord will be pleased to hear about how when there were intruders in His servant's home, you were attacking _other_ Death Eaters instead of attacking the intruders! I'm sure that Lucius would be glad to inform the Lord himself." She yelled at the man. He seemed to tremble slightly at the mention of his lord and Lucius Malfoy.

"I'm sorry. Please, it was a mistake!" He pleaded.

"I don't want to hear about a mistake! FIND THEM!" Riley commanded.

She watched as he hurried past her and down the corridor.

"Dumb ass." She muttered as she looked down at the temporary illusion of the dark mark. It didn't even look that much like the real one.

She turned around and nodded at Draco. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at his bleeding stomach.

"_Ferula._" She said quietly as bandages shot out of her wand and wrapped themselves around his stomach. She gently laid her hand on top of his abs and checked how tight the bandages were. "I'm sorry, but I can't do much more here Drake."

He nodded his head.

"Come on." She said while going the opposite way of the death eater and the way that they had been heading originally before Riley figured out that they had lost Harry and Hermione.

"You called me Drake." He said quietly as Riley stopped to look around the corner.

She glanced back and gave him a small smile, "Do you not want me to?"

"No it's fine with me." He said arrogantly, "It's only fair after I saw you walking around basically naked."

Riley laughed a little and glanced back at his bandages to make sure he wasn't bleeding too much. She looked around and then started down another corridor.

"Wait where are we going?" Draco questioned as he followed.

* * *

"_Stupefy!_"

Another death eater fell to the ground unconscious while Hermione dove behind another pillar.

Flashes of differently colored light flew through the pillars and down the hall. Hermione looked over to see Harry crouched down with his wand at the ready, but one of his hands clutched at the scar on his forehead. Almost as if he could feel Hermione looking at him he turned his head and nodded at her.

"I think running would be a good idea." He said simply.

Hermione nodded, "On three?"

"On three." He agreed.

"One." She started.

"Two." They both stood up and braced themselves against the pillars.

"Three!"

* * *

Riley and Draco were sprinting down another long hall narrowly avoiding the spells that were being shot their way. Apparently the death eater that had seen them had grown a brain and got a group of death eaters together to chase them down. So far they weren't doing too well because their aim was atrocious.

Riley looked over her shoulder and saw four death eaters following them. A blue jet of light flashed out from the tallest death eater's wand and brushed up against Riley's arm. She let out a surprised gasp and watched as the skin on her arm started to turn char black as it burned.

"Fucking prick!" She yelled as they rounded a corner.

"Hurry up!" The death eater that had clipped Riley called, "We don't want to loose them."

The group of death eaters rounded the corner at full speed only to be met with a very angry girl standing in front of him pointing her wand straight at his heart.

"Not. Nice." She said as her glowing gold eyes narrowed into a glare. "_Volo._"

The death eater was picked off of his feet and flung through the opposite wall into the room behind it. The three other death eaters froze for a second to look at the gaping hole in the wall. They quickly turned around and once again the spells were flying.

* * *

Harry and Hermione sped down another corridor as fast as they could. No matter how fast they ran though it always seemed like the death eaters were right on their tail. Harry spun around once more and shot off a stunner and hit the lead death eater squarely in the chest.

A blast of orange light sped foreword and hit Hermione squarely in the ankle. It was like watching a high-speed car crash, as Hermione fell and flipped over herself.

Harry slid next to her and grabbed her arm while hauling her up. She quickly pushed off his hand and pulled him down the hall.

* * *

A spell collided with the one of the copper statues of the Malfoys and sent shrapnel flying and cutting into everything that it made contact with. Riley threw her arms over her head from her current hiding place behind one of the pillars. The searing hot metal seemed to get around the pillar though and dig into her forearm. She scowled and ripped the piece of metal from her arm. Riley looked down and saw the polished head laying by her feet, its eyes starring straight up at her. She pointed her wand at it and sent it flying back at their attackers.

"Were you trying to get us killed?!" Draco yelled over the roaring noise.

"Critisism is NOT appreciated right now Malfoy!" Riley yelled back as she dived out into the hall to shoot off more curses.

* * *

Harry slid around another corner right after Hermione, narrowly avoiding a killing curse that was aimed straight at him.

_'How many corridors are there!' _He thought to himself.

Hermione grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hall with her.

"It's a maze curse. They put a maze curse on the house!" She practically yelled as the continued down the hallway.

"Details would be helpful Hermione!" Harry yelled as he spun and deflected a stunner that was aimed for Hermione's back.

"It's a spell that creates more corridors while concealing stairways and doors that lead outside." She said while casting a stunner over her back.

"Great."

They were nearing the end of the hall and were getting ready to turn right instead of continuing straight, but they didn't get that far. Before they realized what happened they had crashed into another group of people and were tangled in a mass of limbs on the ground. They had found Riley and Draco finally.

Draco was the first to get up and examine what was happening around them. He had started to provide cover as Harry and Hermione tried to separate their limbs. Riley hadn't even tried to get up, but continued to fire off spells at the quickly approaching death eaters. Once Harry and Hermione had gotten up she jumped up and stood in front of them while shooting off spells.

"Run!" She yelled.

"Which way?" Hermione asked while looking down the two halls that were her choices.

"JUST RUN!"

"WHICH WAY?!"

"PICK ONE!"

"But-"

Riley spun around and glared at Hermione.

"Right." Hermione said while taking off down one of the corridors closely followed by Draco and Harry as Riley jogged behind to keep the death eaters at bay.

"Don't kill them! The Dark Lord is on his way, He will want them alive!" One of the death eaters shouted to the others.

"IT'S A DEAD END RILEY!" Hermione screamed as she saw the fast approaching wall.

Riley quickly swung her arm up and pointed it at the ceiling. "_Onigal_"

With a loud groan the ceiling sunk before it gave way and collapsed down on top of the death eaters. The shaking knocked all of them off of their feet. They could all her the screams of the death eaters that were being crushed, before finally everything returned to normal.

"Everyone alright?" Harry asked shakily as he stood up.

Draco nodded his head while looking at the ruble in the hallway. Riley didn't reply as she stood up and placed two fingers against the pulse point in her neck to make sure that she wasn't going into shock. She then started to examine the third degree burns that now covered half of her arm. Harry could feel the bile rising up in his throat at the sight of her charred and cracked skin and he quickly turned away.

Hermione, however, was still on the floor cradling her ankle. Harry could already see it swelling up. Apparently that spell had done some damage. Her adrenaline must have just suppressed the pain. He walked over to her and swept her up into his arms much to her surprise. He gave her a small smile, but it was cut short by the pounding in his head. He tried not to show it, but finally he winced, as excitement that wasn't his own flooded through him.

A large crash on the other side of the rubble drew Riley's attention away from her burns. She watched as what seemed like a mini earthquake caused rubble to slowly fall down the pile. Harry gasped slightly causing Riley to look back at him and watch as the eye underneath his scar clenched shut.

"I never thought that you would be this foolish Harry." A voice carried through the ruble.

Riley glared up at the ceiling once again and held her hands up as most people do when they ask 'why'. She quickly looked back at her group and then turned her attention to the door next to her. Wrenching it open as silently as possible she waved everyone inside and quickly shut it behind them.

"_Silencio. Signumdi._" Riley said while pointing her wand at the door. A bright electric blue light sped around the edges of the door with a sizzling sound before disappearing.

"What spell are they using on the house?" She said quickly while looking around the room. It appeared to be a study. There was a small couch off to the side and a desk and chair sitting next to the window.

"The maze curse." Hermione supplied quickly even though it came out in a gasp because of the pain.

"Right." Riley said. "Hermione, I'm going to need your wand."

Hermione raised her eyebrow and was about to reject, but the look in Riley's eyes made her hand over the precious piece of wood.

There was a loud explosion out in the hall that drew all of their attentions to the door.

"Harry?" His sickening voice called out into the silence. "Harry? Why are you hiding? Wait, I have a better question. Why would you have come to one of my most faithful servants homes?"

Riley walked over to the window and started examining what was outside.

"Harry, Harry, Harry. Your parents would be disappointed in you. I'll make you a deal. If you come out now, I can guarantee a quick and painless death for your friends."

Voldemort received no reply. Riley had made her way to the middle of the room and faced the window.

"Search the rooms! Don't kill _any_ of them."

Riley turned around and shot a stunner at the window. The red magic stopped just a hair away from the glass and then dissipated. The sound of doors being flung open sounded through the entire room as the death eaters slowly closed in.

"What spell Draco?" She asked quickly.

"What . . . er . . . the Contego De Magus charm." Draco replied confused, "Why does that matter though?! Any second now they are going to come through that door and we're all dead."

Riley rolled her eyes and quickly made her way over to the desk.

"And here I thought that I would never thank pureblooded narrow mindedness." Riley said as she dragged the chair back with her.

"What?" Hermione asked while watching the door worriedly as it started to shake.

"My Lord this door won't open!"

"Out of the way!"

"They are always underestimating muggles." Riley said. She lifted the chair and threw it with all her might at the window. Hermione jumped as the sound of glass shattering reached her ears. "Contego De Magus translated means Protect from magic."

Riley quickly crossed the room again and stood next to the door. She turned around and pointed her wand at Harry.

"_Incarcerous._" Ropes shot out of Riley's wand and wrapped around Harry's waist, but before the ropes could bind him she pointed the wand at Hermione and let the ropes do the same to her as she turned and attached Draco to the line and then connected herself. As soon as Riley had disconnected her wand from the ropes it started to shake in her hand as her knuckles turned white to keep a hold of it.

"Sorry wand." Riley said quietly.

"_Reducto!_" The spell blasted through the door and sent debris flying everywhere, catching Harry in the face and Draco's arm.

"I have to say that I'm surprised Harry." Voldemort's slimy voice said from out in the hall. "I never thought that you would come here . . . and Draco? You brought them here? I'm impressed, but you weren't bringing them for me were you?"

Voldemort laughed lightly, "I know that you attacked my servants. You had had so much potential Draco."

"_Crucio_" His sinister voice called.

The spell shot through the room and hit Draco squarely in the chest. Draco's body fell to the floor as it contorted into unnatural angles. He could only cry out in pain. Tears started welling in Hermione's eyes again and Harry just reacted.

"_Stupefy!_" Harry cried sending the red stunner at Voldemort.

"_Protego!_" Voldemort deflected the spell and sent it flying into the midst of his followers.

Hermione had immediately limped over and was helping Draco get to his feet as quickly as possible.

Draco edged closer to Harry while helping Hermione. Slightly, but still helping. Harry noticed this and turned his focus back to Voldemort.

A shot of red light flew through the air as Harry reacted quickly and put up a shield to protect Hermione, Draco and himself. Voldemort advanced into the room and stepped over the threshold. It was then that he remembered Riley. Voldemort raised his wand towards Harry only to feel a tip of a wand pressed into his throat. Voldemort turned his head and was met with glowing gold eyes as the rest of the girl's body materialized out of the shadows. The pressure against his neck increased and she smiled sinisterly at him.

"Boom." She said simply.

Suddenly the tip of her wand exploded and sent Voldemort flying into the other wall. Riley spun around and pointed Hermione's wand at Harry.

"_Volo."_

Harry felt his feet leave the ground as he went soaring through the air and out through the broken window. As he fell he watched Hermione, Draco, and then finally Riley come flying out the window after him.

Riley grabbed pointed the wand at the rope and then flicked it upwards. Draco, Hermione, and Harry all felt themselves flying upward suddenly as they all quickly collided in midair. Riley spun around so that her back was to the ground. She focused intently on where she wanted to go. She felt the tell tale pressure start squeezing her entire body. She looked up just in time to see Voldemort's snarling face leaning outside the window, his arm above his head as he glared at them. Riley could see the world turning black as she felt like she was being pulled through a small tube and sent the snake like man a wink before finally disappearing.

* * *

Riley's a bit of a instigator isn't she? Did Harry and Hermione find a real horcrux? What is Voldemort planning on doing? Ahhhhh, scarry.

**There you have it. Another chapter that was long over due. Once again SORRY!! I hope that it won't be as long of a wait for the next chapter.**

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND!

* * *

Spells used in this chapter.

_Emplar_- to copy

_Infindi_- to cut into

_Reducto_- spell used to blast solid objects into pieces

_Onigal_ – spell used to snap very strong objects. Less debris then the Reducto curse.

_Volo_- fly.

_Signumdi_- to seal. It seals doors shut and renders Alohamora ineffective.

Andras Ward - Andras is the spirit of rage. It twists people's smallest agrevations into uncontrollable rage by releasing a ear shattering scream. The Ward was named after Andras because of the shrill shriek.


	9. Chapter 9: Bridal Style

**I am so sorry! It has been almost a year since I've updated. I can't give a good excuse. I just hadn't written any of this. I know that most of you that read this probably hate me right now and I am so sorry, but I am giving you two updates at once to hopefully make up for it. I should have another update ready in a few days. So, once again please forgive me. I also put a bit more in the first chapter! Mainly just background type stuff, but check it out!**

**No song for this part. I couldn't think of one while I was writing it. Just pick one that you like. **

**By the way . . . my lines aren't working and I'm pissed off. So I guess I'll just use X's.**

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"So what is it?" Riley asked as the all stood around the kitchen.

"What is what?" Harry said.

"What is it that you decided was worth risking our lives to take?"

Harry tensed up slightly, "We didn't take anything."

Riley's jaw tensed. "And I don't have a burn all the way down my arm. What. Did. You. Take."

"I already told you that we didn't take anything." Harry bit out.

"I've been able to feel the magic coming off of it ever since we ran back into you." Riley said, her eyes narrowing at Harry.

"I didn't take anything." He said again.

Riley's eyes narrowed more before she finally took a step back. Harry's eyes drifted to her other arm. The burn on her arm had spread all the way to her wrist and stopped just above her bicep on the outside of her arm before she had been able to stop it.

"Get better at lying." Riley spat spinning on her heal and walking out of the kitchen while throwing Hermione's wand onto the table.

Hermione jumped as her wand landed a few inches away from her. She was sitting at the table with her head in her hands, her foot propped up on the chair next to her. Draco had gone upstairs already to take a shower in order to get rid of all excess blood. Now with Riley gone, it was only Harry and Hermione left in the kitchen.

"We should tell her." Hermione said quietly.

"Dumbledore told me not to tell anyone except you and Ron. Even with what happened, I still trust Dumbledore." Harry said as he took the seat across from Hermione.

"Telling Ron sure turned out well didn't it?" Hermione said.

"I don't trust her. You never know what she is thinking. How can you trust someone like that?" Harry spat.

"She attacked Voldemort for us. What else does she need to do to gain your trust?"

"Why Hermione? Why should we tell Riley?" He asked.

Hermione sighed, "Why wouldn't we? She basically saved our lives. We got her hexed. I got her captured and held hostage. I don't see why we wouldn't."

"I don't see why you want to! _Dumbledore_ doesn't want anyone else knowing." Harry reminded Hermione.

Hermione looked down and started ringing her hands.

"I know that he doesn't want us to, but it just feels wrong." Hermione confessed.

Harry just tilted his head, "What makes telling her right?"

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Riley knocked gently on the door with her good arm.

"Yeah?" A voice called through.

"Hey. I need to come in and finish healing you." Riley said.

A click could be heard as the lock slid back into place.

"We have to stop meeting like this." Draco said as opened the door and revealed that he was only wearing a towel that was slung low over his slender hips. "People are going to start getting the wrong idea."

Riley smiled, "I don't know, I personally like our little encounters."

Draco raised a delicately arched eyebrow at Riley. She rolled her eyes and put her hand on his chest to push him back into the bathroom.

"Always take things literally don't cha?"

Draco's smirk widened, "Or figuratively depending on how you look at it."

Riley laughed and waved her arm at the sink, "Sit down up there. So I can take a look at you."

Draco started to open his mouth again but Riley just placed her hand over his mouth.

"Just sit."

He smirked but lifted himself onto the counter anyways. It was then that he saw Riley's arm again and he couldn't stop himself from gagging.

Riley noticed, "Maybe I'll clean up my arm first, if you don't mind."

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"How's your ankle?" Harry asked.

Hermione nodded and shrugged. "It's pretty good. It isn't even sore anymore."

Harry nodded and then looked down to his own wrist. He hadn't even noticed that it was sprained until they got back.

_(Flashback)_

_The suffocating feeling dissipated as the all found themselves sprawled on the ground. They were outside of the old house. Riley let out a small groan. After all, all three of her charges had landed directly on top of her. Harry could feel Riley pulling herself out from underneath the pile. As she stood up she rid all of them from the rope that bound them together. Riley extended her hand and pulled both Draco and Hermione to their feet seeing as Draco had still kept a hold of Hermione even as they flew out the window. Once they had both gotten on their feet Draco once again had to catch Hermione when she almost collapsed after putting weight on her ankle. Draco sighed and tried to act put out as he picked Hermione up and held her bridle style so she wouldn't hurt herself. _

"_Geeze Granger you need to loose some weight." Draco sneered. It was a complete lie seeing as he had swung her up in his arms so easily. _

_Hermione's eyes narrowed as she lightly smacked Draco's chest. "And to think I was actually going to thank you ferret."_

_Draco let a small smirk grace his features as he threw Hermione up a little causing her to squeak before he caught her again, "Don't forget that I could drop you if you ever mention me being a ferret again." _

_Riley let a small smile spread on her face as she heard the banter going on in between the two. She reached down and when she grasped Harry's wrist she noticed how he winced. Riley let go and reached to his upper arm in order to pull him up. Once he was fully standing Riley nodded towards the house. _

"_Let's get inside."_

_Everyone nodded, Harry reached down with his good hand and picked up Draco's duffle. The house magically appeared as Riley got closer and they all made their way into the kitchen. Harry walked over and put Draco's bag down on the island. Harry turned around in time to see Draco manage to pull out one of the chairs around the table with one arm while still holding Hermione in the air. Draco leaned down and gently put Hermione in the chair before standing up looking slightly awkward and rubbing the back of his head._

"_I'm going to go take a shower." Draco sneered as he grabbed his bag and took off out into the foyer. _

_Harry smiled a little at seeing Draco trying to not appear soft. He lightly shook his head and then looked up when he realized that Riley was standing in front of him. She wasn't looking at him, but instead she reached out and gently grabbed his wrist in her left hand. She raised his hand so that it was even with her heart and laid her right hand over his wrist. Harry could feel a warm sensation start spreading through his arm. He looked down and saw that a blue glow was surrounding his wrist in between Riley's hand. Harry looked up at Riley and saw that she had her eyes closed. Riley removed her right hand whispered, "Raiki." _

_Harry watched as Riley bent down and lightly pressed her lips to his wrist in a chaste kiss. As she pulled away the blue glow condensed and formed and series of what he assumed were Japanese characters that faded into his wrist. Immediately his wrist stopped hurting. He looked up and watched as Riley approached Hermione. Riley gently lifted Hermione's injured leg onto the other chair and repeated the same spell on Hermione's ankle. (End Flashback)_

Harry groaned quietly as he hit his head lightly against the table. Maybe he owe Riley an apology after all.

Harry's hand rose to lightly rub his scar. He felt a small amount of annoyance running through his veins, but that didn't make sense. Voldemort should be furious, not mildly annoyed.

"What's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked quietly.

Harry shook his head. Then the blast of pain shot through his head causing him to clench his eyes shut.

"_Who was she?!" His voice rang out through the darkness. Not even breathing could be heard from the mass of people in front of him that were illuminated by the swirling memories in front of him. Not one person came foreword to offer any information. His anger slipped away swiftly, "No one knows who that girl is? The girl that saved the thorns in my side?"_

_Once again no one answered. With a wave of his hand one of his most loyal servants stepped out of the group._

"_Lucius? Did your son, before his betrayal, tell you anything about someone new associating with Harry Potter or his friends?" _

_The death eater shook his head, "No my lord and a girl idiotic enough to attack You my lord, would have caught his attention."_

"_Her idiocies aside, she has now earned herself a top place among the examples that we will make." He smiled sickly._

_The air in the room changed dramatically as the Death Eaters minds turned towards torture. _

"_I want to know everything about their group. The Weasleys, Granger's parents, who Harry has been staying with for these past years, and this new girl. Now." The cloaked figures immediately disappeared leaving him alone with his swirling memories. Slowly a figure rose from the silvery pool and took form of a girl falling through the air grinning and winking at him._

"HARRY!"

Harry grimaced and raised his eyes to look at Hermione. He watched as Hermione's intelligent mind fit together the pieces.

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The bandages that spread from her shoulder all the way down around her wrist now officially mummified Riley's arm. After checking to make sure the wrappings were tight enough Riley leaned down and started to examine the half-healed flesh on Draco's abdomen. The skin was stretched over the muscle in tightly wound cords that connected to each other in various places leaving some muscle tissue still exposed. Riley gently pressed her hand against Draco's stomach. There was still a pulsing coming from the magic that was used to create the spell along with a bit of the residual magic that Riley had used to heal Malfoy the first time. With a sigh she pulled her hand away.

"I don't think that we can use any more magic to heal you right now." Riley said. "There is still a lot of magic left over from the spell and I'm afraid that if we add anymore we wouldn't accomplish anything."

"Since when does adding magic ever have a negative effect?" Draco sneered in Riley's direction as she reached up into the cabinet and pulled out more of the same bandages that wrapped her arm.

"Ever wonder why you have to stay in the hospital wing after you have been hit with a strong curse?" Riley asked. Upon seeing his blank expression she continued, "It's because the magic from the spell needs to fade in order for the new magic to have an effect."

Riley reached behind her and grabbed another towel off of the rack and threw it over the one that Draco had wrapped around his waist. She leaned around him and pulled out the rubbing alcohol and uncapped the lid.

"This is going to sting a bit." She said quietly.

Before Draco had a chance to react, Riley pushed him back so he was leaning against the mirror and poured the rubbing alcohol all across his stomach. Draco cringed and tried to shoot up, but Riley used her good arm and pinned him back as she poured more alcohol onto his already burning wound. Even though Draco was a master at controlling his reactions he couldn't stop the groan that came with the stinging sensation. Riley sent Draco an apologizing glance.

A cool relief spread across Draco suddenly. He glanced down and saw Riley leaning over his abs blowing lightly across his scrapes. Slowly he let himself relax as the stinging sensation dissipated with Riley's cool breaths.

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"How much does he know?" Hermione asked once some of the color had returned to Harry's face.

Harry wiped the sweat off of his brow and sighed, "Not much, but he wants to know everything about all of our families. We need to get them to safety and we need to tell Dumbledore."

"I agree, but the question is which do we do first?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know." Harry muttered.

"I think we should take Riley. I know that you don't trust her, but she seems to be good at evading capture and running away. With that many people it might be helpful." Hermione said, silently trying to make sure Riley stays with them.

Harry sighed he was going to have Riley come anyways, "Fine, that means Draco is going to be coming too. At least that way we can take him to the Order and then they can figure out what to do with him."

"Sounds reasonable. Though I think that we should get our families first." Hermione stated, "If Voldemort's already issued the order, it won't be long. I need to get my family somewhere safe Harry."

Harry looked at Hermione again and saw that she was visibly scared for her family. He nodded his head and turned away. He didn't like to see Hermione so worried.

Riley walked into the kitchen with a newly wrapped arm followed closely by a clean and fully dressed Malfoy.

Hermione's eyes darted to the floor as Riley walked passed her without sparing a glance.

Riley walked to the refrigerator and pulled out a few bottles of water and tossed them to everyone in the room and then opened hers and gulping down half of it.

"Why isn't your arm healed?" Harry asked trying to avoid any awkwardness.

Riley glanced over her shoulder, but it was Hermione that answered the question.

"Her body only heals itself if we are in danger, it is the same with your wandless magic right?"

Riley raised her eyebrow. "How much of the Journal have you read?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not much. I didn't realize that there was so much written in it."

Riley nodded her head.

"There's conditions though, aren't there?" Hermione asked, "If we're in danger and you use wandless magic, there are consequences, especially if you hurt someone that wasn't supposed to be hurt."

"It all depends. I wouldn't say conditions and consequences, but more of requirements and retribution." Riley replied

"But we don't need to talk about that right now." Riley said and turned her head towards Harry, "Say what you need to say."

"We need to go pick up Hermione's parents and the Dursleys." Harry said.

Riley nodded, "Anything else?"

"Afterwards we need to go to the Order."

"Okay." Riley said and turned to Draco, "Get your stuff."

Draco went into the main foyer to get his duffle bag. Riley quickly walked over to a closet in the main hall and opened the door and pulled out a thin box. The box seemed to be humming and when Riley removed the lid a wand shot out of the box and landed in Riley's hand.

"I guess you'll do for now." Riley said at the wand before placing it up her sleeve.

"Look, I'm sorry." Riley said sincerely to Harry and Hermione. "I shouldn't have been angry at you. I'll be honest I get angry because already I'm getting scared that you are going to get hurt and that I won't be able to help you."

Riley kept looking at them and it was clear to see the pain in her eyes.

"I don't want to get attached to any of you, but it seems like I already am." Riley paused and then shrugged, "It throws me off, so I'm sorry. I really am and I hope you don't hate me for it."

Riley turned towards Harry, "I know that you don't exactly trust me. I don't blame you. I haven't exactly been completely open and that's because it makes me feel uncomfortable, but I am willing to try and that includes the research that you guys are doing. Whatever it is that you need to do, I'll follow you and support whatever it is that you need me to do."

There was a moment of silence before Harry walked over to Riley he stood in front of her for a second before he reached out and brought her into a hug.

"I'm sorry too." Harry said.

Riley nodded hugged him tightly and then turned and waved Hermione over and it turned into a group hug.

Riley took a step back and let out a breath. "Ok then."

Draco walked in and could tell that the atmosphere had changed.

"Are you ready?" Riley asked Hermione and Harry while walking to the back door.

Both of them smiled and walked out through the back door and stood in the yard behind it. Draco made his way out and Riley quickly closed the door, as soon as she stepped off of the porch the house shuddered and suddenly disappeared and presented the sunset over the city.

"We'll pick up the Dursleys first seeing as they are going to be more of a pain" Riley said and then grabbed onto Harry's arm signaling Draco and Hermione to do the same. "Lead the way."

A loud pop was heard and suddenly the field was empty of any signs of life.

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_**KNOCK KNOCK**_

"COMING!" Yelled a shrill voice from the uniform house.

The sound of some late night game show could be heard throughout the house. The beige door swung open revealing a thin, long-necked woman that seemed to be forcing a smile at the thought of someone calling at her house after 6 o'clock. However the forced smile quickly faded as she saw the people darkening her doorstep.

"Mrs. Dursley I presume?" Riley asked with her sweet smile on her face.

"Y-Yes. What are you doing back here?" She asked accusingly once she turned her attention away from the blonde standing in front of her.

Riley stepped in front of Petunia's line of vision and kept her comforting smile.

"May we please come in Ms. Dursley?" Riley asked while gently pushing Petunia back into her house.

Once the door was securely closed behind them Riley turned back to Petunia to find her running away and into the kitchen.

Riley sighed and followed Ms. Dursley's path into the kitchen, only to be met with scared faces all huddled around the table. Harry, Hermione, and Draco all followed her into the kitchen, but kept close to the door. Once again the comforting smile appeared on her face as she walked through the kitchen and turned both TV's off. When she turned back around all three of the Dursley's had moved in order to keep Harry, Hermione, Malfoy, and herself in their line of sight. Dudley's eyes however seemed to dart between Riley and Hermione with something different from the fear that was written on his parents face.

"Get out of my house!" Vernon yelled as he watched this blonde woman traipse around his home without so much as an introduction.

Riley smiled her kind smile and took a step back to let Harry come to the front.

"Uncle Vernon, I don't want to be here anymore then you want me to be. The only reason that I am here is because Voldemort is coming here to look for me and whoever is part of my family.

"GET OUT! It's not our problem what you freaks do in your own world! NOW GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Vernon exclaimed trying to bring himself up to his full height and hide his son and wife at the same time. However, Riley had quickly moved in front of Harry. Vernon puffed out his chest and got in Riley's face. The effect however was lost on Riley seeing as she was a full 4 inches taller then Vernon, that and it seemed that nothing intimidated Riley.

Riley sighed and allowed a sad look to pass over her face. Suddenly the bandages that had wrapped Riley's arm fell away and revealed the blackened skin to the Dursley's.

"I am sorry to say that the freaks in our world don't stay in our world. I do believe they hate non-magical people more then you hate them. There is no doubt in my mind that they would not hesitate to do much worse to you." Riley said indicating to her charred arm.

Harry finally spoke again.

"Look, you can either stay here or we can move you somewhere safe, but if you chose to stay here we are going to leave and not come back when they find you." He said harshly.

It was a quick decision and once again they disappeared into the night, only this time they had three extra people in tow.

* * *

(A/N:What the f&!! They just started working again! Oh, that's annoying!)

However, not all could go well that night. They appeared at the end of a one-exit street only to see flames scorching the sky coming from a house at the end of the street. A shrill scream erupted from Hermione's lungs and she quickly took off down the street with Harry following close behind. Riley turned towards Draco who was standing at the ready next to the Dursleys.

"Stay here with them Draco." Riley yelled taking off down the street.

Riley finally reached the house to see Harry holding Hermione back from the burning house as she screamed and cried for her family. The plate on the side of the mailbox that was illuminated by the fires clearly showed that the Granger's did in fact live in the blazing house.

Riley nodded at Harry and then jumped in through one of the open windows.

Flames leapt up the walls on all sides. Riley could see the blast marks that hit the walls in order to start this destruction. Riley ran into the living room looking for anyone of Hermione's family.

"GRANGER!" Riley tried to yell over the deafening roar of the fires.

No one was in the living room or the connecting kitchen. The pictures on the fireplace started curling in on themselves, as the fire got hotter and hotter. Suddenly a beam in the ceiling collapsed causing Riley to have to dive out of the way. Riley shot out of the living room and sprinted up the stairs. The smoke was so thick up here that Riley had to make sure she didn't let her eyes shut.

"MR. AND MRS. GRANGER!!" Riley screamed, but no one replied.

Frames started falling off of the walls and the roof was starting to cave in. Riley checked every room as she ran using the red glow from the fire as her only light. She ran into another room, the moving pictures, old stuffed animals on shelves, and an entire wall of books all went up in flames. There was one picture that was still clearly on the wall. Hermione was in the middle of Harry and Ron, they were all laughing and holding onto each other for support and just like that it ended; The roof suddenly fell in on the room causing Riley to throw up her face from the shrapnel that was once Hermione's room.

Riley jumped back and looked around there was only one more room she had to check. She ran and had to dodge and leap over the crumbling house. She finally reached the closed door. She could barely see through the smoke anymore and the roar of the flames seemed to have grown.

"MR. AND MRS. GRANGER!!" Riley couldn't even hear her own voice.

She lifted her bad arm and pushed her hand into the wood ignoring the scorching pain. Finally she was positive that no one was in the room, no one had been in the house. Riley turned to get out of the house, but before she had the chance the window next to her shattered from the pressure of the collapsing roof and the flames that were slowly inching there way up exploded through the closed door only giving Riley enough time to throw her arms up.

* * *

Hermione was clawing at Harry trying to get him to let go. Riley had run into the house a few minutes ago, but no one had come out, her mom, or dad, or Riley. Hermione saw Riley dart past a closed window on the top floor. All she could do was scream and fight Harry as he held her at bay.

Then there was the worst sound Hermione had ever heard in her life. It sounded like what she had imagined a bomb would sound like in real life, only this time all the air was being sucked back in. The glass of a window on the top floor exploded while hurling Riley through the now open space, but everything seemed to suddenly change into slow motion.

Hermione couldn't hear anything. All she could do was watch as shattered glass seemed to float towards the ground followed by Riley and the flames of the house. The only difference was that the fire shot up while Riley inched closer to the ground. Hermione watched as Riley fell through the sky. She could feel her mouth open in a scream, but even though she could feel the air rush past her lips she didn't hear a sound. She could see the blood that was running out of Riley's ears. Hermione thought, Riley would save herself right?

Riley's wand appeared out of seemingly nowhere.

Riley was going to be okay, she was going to stop her fall. Hermione thought.

Then Hermione noticed that Riley hadn't turned to point her wand towards the ground she pointed it off to the side. Riley's mouth formed the words and the spell shot out of her wand only moving at an eighth of the speed it should have moved.

Why was Riley shooting a spell to the side?

Hermione turned her head and saw the Death Eater coming towards her and Harry with his wand out. Just as he was about to cast the final spell, Riley's connected with his neck and his head twisted in an unnatural way before he slumped to the ground. Everything regained it's normal speed and as Hermione whipped her head around she saw Riley fall straight onto the concrete and landing on her feet? What happened next, Hermione didn't know. Her vision quickly tunneled in on her and she only managed to feel Harry's arms tighten around her as she lost consciousness.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

(And now they're not.)

**There you go. First part of the update.**

What happened to Hermione's parents? Are there more Death Eaters waiting to attack while Hermione is unconscious? What is going to happen to our lovely gang?

Go find out since the next chapter is already up.


	10. Chapter 10: A Different Light

**Yep, here is the second part of the update. I hope that you all like it. **

**The song for this is "STAND UP" by Trapt**

* * *

"Hermione? Hermione?" A gentle voice asked quietly.

Hermione's eyes twitched.

"Come on Hermione, open your eyes." The voice coaxed.

Hermione's weary eyes slowly opened, she didn't see anything for a few seconds, but slowly everything came back into focus. Harry was leaning over her gently shaking her shoulder. Once he saw that she was awake he smiled and leaned back allowing Hermione to see a familiar ceiling that she hadn't seen for a while.

With a slight groan Hermione pushed herself up into a sitting position and looked around her room in Grimmauld Place. She slowly tucked a stray piece of her bushy hair behind her ear and sighed.

"What happened Harry?" She asked.

Her sighed and ruffled his hair up.

"There was a Death Eater that was still there, so Riley shot a Dilaborn curse at him and it broke his neck." Harry said quietly.

Hermione nodded her head as a few silent tears slid down her cheeks.

"My p-parents?" Hermione asked, her voice cracking half way through.

Harry smiled, "They're fine Hermione. They weren't there. The Order had gone to move them to a safe location a few days ago."

Relief washed over Hermione as she launched herself onto Harry. She was crying into his chest happily as he just smiled and rubbed circles into her back. Finally realizing that she was practically sitting in Harry's lap Hermione jumped back with a blush on her face and saw that it was mirrored on Harry's face.

"So-sorry about that." Hermione stuttered.

Harry rubbed the back of his head, "It's alright."

Hermione nodded and then started fidgeting with her hands.

"What about everyone else? What's happening? How did we get here? Where are the Dursleys? Malfoy? Riley?" Hermione started inquiring as soon as her brain registered everything that needed to be asked about.

Harry started laughing quietly.

"We got here by Apparating. An Order meeting started about an hour ago to discuss what's happened. The Dursley's are here somewhere, and I haven't seen Malfoy or Riley since we got here. You and I were rushed off for Madam Pomfrey to look us over."

Hermione looked confused, "But . . . how did Malfoy and Riley get in?"

Harry sighed. "We apparated in front of the house. As soon as we got our feet on the ground you and I were rushed in. I don't know what happened to them. I just know that they are somewhere in Headquarters."

"What?! What do you mean don't know?!"

"I don't know anything Hermione. They aren't letting me in on the meeting either."

Hermione looked down and fisted the comforter.

"Sorry Harry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that." Hermione said quietly while a few tears streamed down her face.

"I think I'm the one that should be apologizing." Interrupted a voice that neither of them had heard for a while.

Hermione's neck twisted in order to see the familiar redheaded figure that she had tried to forget. Ron rubbed the back of his neck and looked away from the death glare that Hermione was sending in his direction.

* * *

Everything was red. The red just seemed to bleed into every corner of vision. Even as she tried to follow the red streams something seemed to smash into the back of her head. That was when she realized her eyes were still closed. Normally that isn't a realization, but the rushing sound in her ears and annoying pounding headache tends to mess with your reaction times.

With a pained groan Riley forced her eyes to open and take in her surroundings. The room was annoyingly gray. Craning her neck to the side she saw a shriveled up heart resting on the mantle and then suddenly a grating noise reached her ears. Riley looked into the corner and saw a filing cabinet shaking. With a quick look down Riley saw the painfully familiar chair.

"You've got to be shitting me!" She exclaimed feeling the ropes around her neck tightening. Her painfully dry throat did nothing to help her discomfort. The room shook slightly and there was a crackling of electricity from the doorway.

"Afraid not love."

Riley immediately let go of the magic that was building in her once she realized that someone else was in the room. Riley tried turning her head to the side, but that sent a jarring pain through her cracked skull. She hadn't thought that they had hit her that hard.

"Do you mind coming in front of me, I can't really turn my head." Riley rasped trying to keep her anger in check.

Draco slowly made his way in front of Riley and nodded tightly.

"Order doesn't trust you?" Riley bit out.

"Not a bit. I can't even touch the door without getting electrocuted and sent back into the opposite wall."

Riley's eyes narrowed. Apparently the Order had placed another ward on the door. She only assumed that it was designed to let people in and then out when a certain spell was cast with a wand. That way the other ward wouldn't go off.

"Did they leave any water?"

"No."

"No wand?"

"Nope."

"How long have we been in here?" Riley asked her teeth gritting.

"Well, it was dark when we got here and seeing as how it's getting dark again, I'd say a while."

It sounded like a growl erupted in Riley's throat.

"You didn't have those bruises before we got here Dray." Riley said in a very strained voice.

Draco looked at her and raised his eyebrow.

"Nicely stating the obvious.

Riley's eyes narrowed as she looked at the door.

* * *

"Look. I'm sorry." Ron said quietly looking at the floor.

Hermione just raised an eyebrow at him.

"We've all been stressed and we've all said some stuff that we didn't mean. So I think that we should just put it in the past." Ron said.

Hermione saw how Ron was glancing towards Harry as a plea for help. For some reason that made Hermione even angrier.

"_We_?" Hermione said incredulously, "Huh, that's funny because . . . well I just can't remember saying _anything_ that I didn't mean. In fact I haven't said a lot of the things that I've wanted to."

Hermione looked at Ron and glared.

"You know it's funny because I thought I liked you. Like really liked you." Hermione said simply, "But then I started actually thinking about it and I realized that I like Malfoy better then you at this point, Ron."

Hermione had a smirk on her face that for some reason just felt so right.

Ron's mouth had dropped open and his face steadily started to get redder and redder the angrier that he got. Yet, Hermione just ignored him and turned to Harry.

"I need to find Riley, Harry." Hermione said simply, "Even Malfoy."

"Who? Oh, your bloody bitch friend?" Ron snapped out glaring at Hermione before a smirk spread across his face, "She's in her room of course. Though, I doubt she's going to be up, she took one hell of a beating when you got here."

* * *

Riley had closed her eyes and was trying to control her breathing.

"You alright?" Malfoy asked warily.

Riley opened her eyes and looked at him. He had never seen her eyes that bright and it almost looked like there was red bleeding into the gold. Though he knew that it was only his imagination.

"I am beyond angry." Riley said her voice raspier then he had ever heard it.

"Well that's too bad now isn't it girl." Came a grating voice from the door.

Riley slowly turned her head slightly so she could see the ex-auror. Mad-eye walked into the room and closed the door behind him with an audible click of the lock sliding into place.

Riley's head whipped to the side with blood dripping down her chin as Moody's fist collided with her jaw.

"Hey." Draco spat as he started moving foreword.

Moody pulled out his wand and pointed it in between Draco's eyes. "Back up boy."

Moody spat out some incantation that Draco didn't recognize, but the next thing he knew he was pinned to the back wall.

Mad-eye leaned down and looked Riley in the eyes and grinned.

"I've been waiting to get back at you. Now I have the permission to do it. Removing the threat so to speak." Moody said as he circled Riley's chair.

"You are saying that like it should scare me." Riley said her gold eyes getting brighter by the second.

"Oh, it will." Moody said.

With a flick of his wand Draco flew and hit the ground. Riley's hand clenched and the muscles in her legs started tensing.

"But before I get to you I need to deal with Mr. Malfoy."

Another flick of Moody's wand and Draco flew from the floor and hit the ceiling before crashing back to the floor. Draco let out a small cough and pushed himself up slightly with his arms.

"I thought you were supposed to be the good guys." Draco spat spitting out the blood from his mouth from having bit his tongue.

Another round of flying into the ceiling and floor followed as Moody flicked his wand up and down. Blood was streaming down from Draco's eyebrow after splitting from his fourth contact with the floor and by the fifth Draco could feel the bruising all across his torso.

"What was it that Ms. Granger used to call you whenever those three started talking. Oh, yes, the incredible bouncing ferret. That is the only thing I wish I had actually done that year."

"Hey Mad-eye."

Moody turned towards Riley again and glared while stopping Malfoy's collision courses.

"Didn't they ever teach you anything in Auror training?" She asked simply. "You don't jaw jack when you are in a fight."

Moody looked at her like she was an idiot and took a step foreword and punched her in the face again. Riley laughed lightly as Moody only took a half step back.

"Shut up girl. What would you know about any of this."

Riley grinned and there was an odd snapping sound.

"Oh . . . only that it gives the person a chance to hit you back."

Riley's leg shot up and kicked him in the face. Moody's head whipped to the side as his disgusting hair flew around his face. Riley balanced the chair on the back two legs and horse kicked Mad-eye in the gut. That one double-legged kick caused a series of events to happen in rapid succession. Riley's chair flew backwards and she landed on top of her arms that were still tied behind the chair. Meanwhile Mad-eye's feet left the ground and he crashed straight into the sealed the door. Just like Draco had said the minute Mad-eye's body connected with the door the blue crackling from the electricity started and sent Moody careening into the wall on the opposite side of the room. By the time he reached the floor he was out cold.

Riley flung her body weight up and the chair righted itself once again. The fall had dislocated Riley's wrist just enough to allow her to pull her arms free from her final restraints. When she finally stood up she turned to see Draco pulling himself up off of the floor.

Riley looked at Draco and said, "I don't feel like sitting here in this room anymore do you?"

"No I don't, but how do you propose we get out of here." Draco said snidely. Okay, so maybe he was a little bit beyond angry too.

Riley brushed it off, "They hurt my charge. This is the requirements and retribution."

Draco's eyes widened.

"This may feel a bit odd." Riley said simply.

Draco tried to brace himself but he suddenly felt himself surrounded by some sort of shield. The electricity from the door started crackling and Draco watched as it enveloped Riley's body. The glass in the room started shattering. That was when Draco started feeling a strong type of static electricity surround him. It didn't hurt, but it definitely felt odd.

The room was shaking something fierce. The electricity in the room started getting stronger and Draco could see how it seemed to be touching Riley's skin, but she stood still and suddenly the door flew off of it's hinges and the electricity stopped immediately.

Riley turned and nodded her head at Draco. It was then that he noticed the shield around him was gone. As he stepped out onto the landing he stood just slightly behind her. All of the walls were bending away from the room that they had just come out of. Riley's magic seemed to be pressing against everything; it was from the ward that she had just broken. The walls seemed to buckle from it. Even Draco felt the magic, but for some reason his magic allowed it to pass into him easily. However nothing around seemed to be as accepting. The walls, the hand railings, everything was pushed out and looked as if it was bending to get farther away from the ward's and Riley's magic. It was obvious she was not happy.

They could hear the commotion from downstairs as they all realized that the ward had been set off. Draco vaguely wondered if they knew that their ward no longer existed. Draco and Riley continued to calmly walk down the stairs and finally came into view of the people on the ground. She came to a stop and only turned her eyes towards the people on the ground. Everyone was there. Riley's eyes passed over everyone. Her eyes traveled from Tonks and Lupin who were standing closely together, to Shacklebolt who looked like he was itching to grab his wand, McGonagall and Snape were both looking up shocked, then to the entire Weasley clan sub Ron and Percy. Riley's eyes locked onto Arthur and her eyes narrowed even more before she continued onwards, but there was the problem. The one person that was supposed to be there wasn't. Riley turned her head finally. It looked demonic as her body followed. She gripped the handrail and quickly vaulted herself over it. The ground beneath her splintered as it too tried to get away from her sudden presence. Riley raised herself up from her crouched position and kept her hair covering her face.

Draco reached the ground at the same time as Harry and Hermione who had heard the commotion. The second the three of them reached the ground floor, Riley flicked her hair back and looked around at all of the frozen people around her. Shackelbolt had reached for his wand and Riley's head whipped towards him. He flew through the air and was pinned against the wall spread eagle style.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Riley's voice came out. Her head tilted to the side and slightly up.

"What did you do to Alastor?" Shacklebolt growled out from his position on the wall.

Riley tilted her head and looked at him, "Technically all I did was kick him, your ward took care of the rest, but don't worry. He's only unconscious. I think."

She held her wand out and two wands appeared in her outstretched hand. She handed Draco his back and let her wand arm drop to her side as she turned her head towards the kitchen door.

Dumbledore slowly walked through the door with such authority that everyone else parted for him to walk through. He slowly started walking towards Riley when suddenly the ground around his feet cracked and for some reason he couldn't lift his feet out. As he looked up Riley's wrist had lifted and pointed at the ground around his feet.

"See, I played nice the first time around, _old man._" Riley bit out as she looked at him with that smirk on her face. "And for some reason, I just don't feel like being as indulgent right now."

"Now, Ms. Brookes. This is unacceptable behavior." McGonagall stated, but immediately stopped talking as Riley's head whipped around in her direction.

"I don't believe I asked your opinion, but since you want to talk about unacceptable behavior lets." Riley said as she walked over to the other strict woman. She got a foot away from the Professor and tilted her head, "This group of you has attacked me twice now. You have tied me to a chair twice. You have exposed me to some fucking electrocution ward multiple times. You held me against my will for a week. You put me in the hospital for _weeks_. You beat the crap out of Draco Malfoy and me. I was a bitch and . . . oh wait so were you. You also were given the permission to 'remove the threat' of me being near anyone that you deemed important."

Hermione gasped slightly as she heard what Riley was saying. Harry had narrowed his eyes and was glaring at some of the people in the Order. Together they moved to stand next to Draco.

Riley took a step back from McGonagall and took a deep breath. She immediately turned to Mr. Weasley.

"Where is my bike?" Riley ground out while glaring at him. It was by far the angriest Riley had ever sounded.

Mr. Weasley didn't say anything and he barely even looked at Riley.

"So you did take it apart." Riley said, "You took something that was very dear to me. Now if you had grown up on the streets I did, I could kill you for less."

Everyone in the room tensed, but no one moved.

"I don't want to kill you." Riley said while shaking her head making sure that her eyes never left Mr. Weasley's he still wasn't looking at her. She slowly walked up to him and grabbed his chin gently and tilted his face towards her. When he finally looked her in the eye she smirked.

"I don't want to kill you. I want to take something that is so precious to you and rip it to pieces like you did my bike." Riley said quietly. Finally the Weasley clan burst into action and started throwing spells at Riley left and right, but Riley jumped up and did a flip in the air and landed near Harry, Hermione, and Draco. She made sure that she deflected every spell that could possibly harm her charges. All of the Weasley's were fighting angry, but they didn't know how to channel any of that. They were being sloppy and this fight was quickly getting old. Riley spun around suddenly and put her wand in between Harry and Draco blocked the stunner that was hurtling towards Harry's back. The fighting immediately ceased.

"Ron? What are you doing?" Harry asked confused.

"What am I doing? What are _you_ doing standing there next to her and _Malfoy_!?" Ron spat.

"So you send a stunner at me?! Just like you almost hit Hermione when she left? What is wrong with you Ron!"

"Stop." Came a strong voice.

Everyone turned to Dumbledore. His wand rested by his side as he lifted his feet out of the trap that Riley had cast.

"This is not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves. Not in this time of darkness." He said. "We need to stick together."

Dumbledore turned his blue eyes to Harry.

"Harry. We need you to come back to us. We need you for the battles that are to come."

Riley's eyes narrowed, but she didn't say anything. This was Harry's choice and she would not interfere.

"We all get lost Harry." Dumbledore said with his comforting old man voice. "It's alright. No one blames you."

At this Dumbledore glanced at Riley, but he continued.

"Come back to us Harry. Come back to the light."

For some reason Harry tensed. He had grabbed Hermione's hand as they ran down the stairs and he still hadn't let go, but he could feel her shaking slightly. Why would she be shaking? He looked to his left where Riley stood right next to him. There was a large bruise forming on the side of her face. Her lip was swollen and puffy and her jaw clenched every few seconds like it was trying to keep itself from locking. Riley's good arm was bruised and the wrist looked a bit off. The burn on Riley's arm seemed to be ripped and blood was dripping onto the floor from her fingertips even as she held it a loft and kept her wand trained on the Order members. Draco didn't look any better. His head was bleeding and he kept one of his eyes shut in an effort to keep the blood from dripping in. Neither of them had looked like that when they had all arrived.

Riley turned and looked Harry in the eyes. Everything else around him seemed to fade away as he focused on Riley. Then he felt it. He felt something warm and soft brushing against his face. It felt reassuring almost like a reminder. Then in his head he heard words being whispered lightly, _"I'll follow you."_

Riley turned her head back to face the people standing in front of her. Harry could see the pride shinning in her eyes. It was easy to see with the odd lighting. The lights in the house were dim, but the hallway was well lit by the moonlight that was flooding in through the window even if it was slightly behind the clouds.

Suddenly Riley's injured arm tensed. The muscles underneath the charred skin bulged as her knuckles turned white around her wand.

"I'm not giving you my wand." Riley said as her focus turned solely to the headmaster.

"Ms. Brooks, you have harmed innocent people, for that the Order must remain precautious. Surrender your wand." Dumbledore said softly.

"I don't think so." Riley said her eyes narrowing while her arm never relaxed.

"I'm sorry to say that it was not a request Ms. Brooks." Dumbledore said. "Give me your wand or we will take it from you."

Riley looked over at Harry and Hermione. The question was clear on her face, though both of them doubted that the Order could see it. Her face was accepting, a silent surrender of power to the two of them. _"What do you want me to do?" _She was telling them that it was their choice.

"_STUPIFY!_"

"_Protego_" Riley flicked her wand and the stunner went flying off in another direction, yet Riley still hadn't taken her eyes off of Hermione and Harry. Harry shook his head imperceptibly and that was it.

"And you." Riley said audibly the rest of her question hanging in the air for only her charges to hear, _"Are you coming?" _

One final nod and it was done.

"We will take you wand." Dumbledore repeated.

A smile spread across Riley's face as she turned her body to stand sideways towards the Order her arm straight out towards them. It was the same smirk that Harry could have sworn she had given Voldemort right before her wand exploded in his face.

"Well then." Riley's smirk grew, "Why don't you come and get it?"

One by one every one of the people standing in front of them raised their wands and pointed them at Riley, yet the smirk didn't move from her face.

A loud sigh escaped as Draco raised his wand towards the Order and took a step towards Riley so that they were almost touching. Draco's arm fit perfectly above Riley's.

"This is so troublesome." He sighed, but nonetheless his smirk was in place and he looked resolute.

Hermione turned and raised her wand also her face set and determined.

"The Order is not what I had believed it to be. I can't agree to morals that do not match mine." Hermione said as her fingers tightened around her wand.

Then slowly, much to the Order's horror, Harry's wand joined the others. His chest against Riley's with Hermione at his back just as Draco was at Riley's. The clouds were moving finally. The light streamed in to focus on the four standing together. The line of light was steadily moving on the floor towards the Order members.

"I never strayed from the light Professor. I only chose a different one." Harry said strongly.

Riley could see Hermione and Harry's hands shaking. To fight against someone that you care about can be one of the hardest things in the world. It is one of the few defining moments in your life where a piece of you will break and never heal. However it seems the even two/thirds of the golden trio were far luckier then most.

No one moved, no one spoke and second by second the pale silver light was starting to get closer to the Order members.

Riley turned her attention to one specific person in the group in front of her. Her gold eyes locked with gold eyes and the smirk fell from her face.

"Thank you Mr. Lupin." Riley said sincerely, but her voice was clipped.

His eyes narrowed as he kept his wand trained on her.

"Why?" Lupin growled out.

"Because you are going to be the reason that we can leave." Riley said simply.

His eyes narrowed and just as he was about to retort, Riley interrupted him.

"I won't blame you though." Riley said quietly, "No one can control their animal side."

Then it happened. The moonlight hit the Order and suddenly Lupin let out a pained groan as the bones in his body started realigning. He looked out through the window and the full moon was glaring maliciously down on him. The past few days there was so much commotion, he had forgotten. Everyone had forgotten. Everyone was too shocked to move and before it seemed possible, there was a full-grown werewolf standing in the hall.

The howl that he let out rattled the windows and suddenly the room was lit red as stunners hit the wolf from every direction. Tonks broke out into sobs when she saw her husband in wolf form stunned. A few of the Order members spun back around only to be met with an empty hall. The front door was swinging in the night breeze.

* * *

**That's the end of this chapter. I hope you liked it! The next is already half written, so it most definitely won't be more then a week for me to update again. Please review and let me know what you think. Even if it is to flame me for not updating for so long. **


	11. Chapter 11: Sex Appeal

**I had to repost this chapter! It got deleted, so it's reposted. There are a few things that are different. Okay this chapter is a bit different. Haha it still remains rated a T. It is pushing it though. Anyways read.**

**The song for this chapter is . . . "... To be Loved" By Papa Roach**

* * *

When the four reappeared once again in the field behind the house, it was silent. Luckily there wasn't a dog pile this time around. Riley looked over at Harry and Hermione.

"I'm sorry." Riley said quietly, "I didn't want to get you two involved. After all they are your friends."

Harry and Hermione nodded while Riley turned back to Draco. She looked at Draco's eyebrow and let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't that bad just a semi-deep cut. It would heal easily enough and the bruising that she was sure he would have would just need some bruise ointment spread over it. Yet, her eyes narrowed slightly. The bruises brought their own questions up to the fore front. NOw wasn't the time to ask though.

"Drinking night again?" Riley asked while looking at her three charges.

Harry and Hermione smiled slightly. Draco just nodded his head and looked like he was in desperate need of a drink.

"Come on." Riley said while looping her arms through Draco and Harry's. Harry's other arm quickly wrapped around Hermione and they all made it up the stairs to the house and into the kitchen.

"Of course we'll follow Ms. 'Why don't you come and get it'" Hermione joked.

Riley let out a pretend affronted gasp. Draco chuckled lightly at Riley. Harry laughed lightly and decided to bump her with his shoulder. This caused Riley to bump into Draco, which caused him to stumble slightly.

"You know you should be careful about what you say Riley. You never know how someone might take that statement." Harry said while wiggling his eyebrows slightly.

"Hey-" Riley started, but Draco's laugh cut her off.

"Am I hearing this correctly?" Draco started, "Did I just hear Harry Potter make a dirty joke?"

Harry scowled, "So what if I did Malfoy?"

"I'm amazed. Congratulations Potter. I never thought you had it in you." Draco said.

"Oh, so the only time that any of you can get along is when you're picking on me?" Riley broke away from the group to open the door, "I feel so loved."

Draco winked and then slid into the house followed closely by Hermione and Harry. Riley smiled seeing that Harry and Hermione didn't look so forlorn anymore, but her eyes fallowed Draco's steps. There was a small mistrust there and Riley didn't know where it had come from.

Draco, Hermione, and Harry all took seats on the opposite side of the island while Riley went over to the cabinets. Hermione had thought it was odd when she had first seen the exposed piping in the kitchen, but for some reason that gave the room a little more character. Hermione turned to Harry and started talking about nothing just to keep herself entertained. It felt like a cool breeze suddenly came past her.

Hermione turned back to Riley just in time to see someone appear behind her. The man pushed Riley against the cabinets and quickly spun her around with her arms pinned together above her head. The man shoved Riley against the piping. His other arm shot in between her legs to grab onto the thickest pipe. The same arm jerked up and lifted her off of the ground about two feet. The arm that was pinning her arms above her head was pressed across her neck and chest as well to hold her up.

Harry and Draco had both jumped off of their seats, but found that their wands had disappeared.

Riley groaned slightly and seemed to try and shift her body that was for the most part resting on this man's arm that was at the apex of her thighs. The man pressed his body against Riley's tighter.

"Letting your guard down Riley." He said as he pushed himself harder into Riley.

Riley gasped quietly, "And you're just as invasive as ever Damien."

The man named Damien laughed lightly and pressed his face into Riley's neck. Riley's breath was coming out in heavy pants from having all of his weight pressed against the arm across her neck. Suddenly her leg swung up and kneed him in the stomach causing him to lose his grip on the piping and letting Riley's feet reach the ground again. Riley quickly grabbed his shirt and pulled him back down to her where her forehead met his nose. As Damien stumbled back Riley spun around and kicked him in the side causing him to fall to the ground and quicker then any of her charges caught she was kneeled down on the ground with a knife pressed against his neck and one of her knees pressed into his chest.

"Just as slow too." Riley said while digging her knee into his chest.

Slowly a smile broke out on both of their faces. Riley threw the knife into the wood block that she had gotten it from.

"It's good to see you Damien." Riley said still regaining her breath from having Damien's arm push all of it out.

Damien nodded and smiled. Hermione finally got a good look at the man lying beneath Riley. Her jaw dropped. Harry was attractive. He comfortable sat at a 9 on her 1-10 scale for being fit. What with his messy hair, gorgeous green eyes and toned body from Quidditch. She had no problem admitting that Harry was fit. None at all. This man though, this man was absolutely drool worthy. His chocolate colored skin was absolutely flawless and stretched tightly over his well-defined muscles. His eyes were slightly slanted, but had the same gold coloring of Riley's. His smile had to be the biggest, whitest smile that she had ever seen. Even though she couldn't see under the black tank top that he was wearing, it was appealingly stretched across his torso showing Hermione that he didn't have an ounce of fat on him. Hermione wasn't far from drooling.

Riley's smile still hadn't moved as she put her hands on Damien's shoulder and started to push herself back up off of him, but Damien's hands caught her thighs and pulled her so that she fell back down and was straddling him on the floor. Harry's eyebrows raised as he fought the blush that he could feel rising on his cheeks.

"I think that you should stay right where you are." Damien said smiling, "You need to make up for all of the hits you laid on me."

Damien grabbed Riley's thighs tighter and shifted her slowly and firmly up and down on his lap. Riley laughed and continued smiling. Hermione's jaw dropped as she saw Riley slightly push herself down harder. Harry's eye twitched and he suddenly felt like he should leave the room. Especially as Damien's smile started to widen. Riley tightened her thighs and pushed all of the air from his lungs out with his small grunt. However, she did stay sitting on him.

"You have tried this for _years_ Damien. It has yet to work. I also know that you get laid often enough being the player that you are." Riley said to him, "Not to mention that I am not fond of audiences."

Damien turned his head and saw Harry and Draco standing up while Hermione had her hands on the island and was propping herself up to see what they were doing. Damien focused on Hermione and gave her his dazzling smile before turning back to Riley. Once again Damien's hands tightened on Riley's thighs and he started rocking his hips into hers.

"Come on Riley. Let them watch. Maybe they'll learn something." He said as he did an amazing roll of his hips on the ground that had Hermione's mouth watering slightly. "Besides the girl is cute."

Damien turned his head towards Hermione again and a blush quickly spread across her cheeks. His smile widened even more.

"You can always join in too cutie." Damien said as he winked at her causing her blush to spread all the way across her face.

"Look at that, she has the sweetest blush." Damien exclaimed.

Harry's eyes narrowed as he grabbed Hermione's shoulder and pulled her back slightly. He couldn't believe that this man had said something like that to Hermione! Riley just laughed and slapped Damien's chest lightly.

"Don't mess with my charges Damien." Riley said while pushing herself off of him finally and stood up.

Riley held out her arm and pulled Damien to his feet. Damien quickly brushed off his jeans and stood up straight. It was then that it became apparent that he was at least 6'5" as he stood towering over all of them. He quickly moved closer to the island and smiled at the three of them.

"Sorry about that." Damien said, "Me and Riley back there have had a little something going on for a while-"

"Ha. You wish." Riley said smiling with her arms crossed while she leaned against the other counter.

Damien laughed, "My name is Damien."

He stuck out his hand to Draco who looked at it for a second before grasping it with his own. Draco suddenly felt like a jolt of electricity went flying through him causing his breathing to become a little heavier.

"Draco Malfoy." Draco said while shaking Damien's hand.

Damien nodded and then put his hand out to Harry. As Harry grasped Damien's hand the room suddenly seemed a lot hotter and Harry had to still himself from tugging on his collar.

"Harry Potter." Harry said in a slightly gasping voice.

Once again Damien nodded, "Nice to meet you Harry."

Once they let go of each other's hands, Damien turned his full attention to Hermione. His smile seemed bigger and more swoon worthy suddenly as he reached his hand out to Hermione, who immediately accepted it and felt her body start to thrum with some sort of energy.

"I'm Damien." He said while holding onto her hand gently, "And who might you be cutie?"

"Hermione Granger." Hermione said softly while looking straight into Damien's deep brown eyes.

Damien raised Hermione's hand to his lips and lightly kissed her knuckles while never taking his eyes off of hers.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hermione." The way that he had said her name sent shivers down her spine.

"Damien." Damien turned back to Riley and gave her an innocent smile while she raised her eyebrows at him.

"It's not fair to use your angel charm on my charges." Riley said simply.

Damien's smile just grew as he looked at the three behind him. Riley sighed and shook her head concealing the smile on her face.

"All of the Guardian Angel's have a certain trait or characteristic that makes it easier to get close to their charges." Riley started explaining, "Damien here, has sex appeal. He tends to like to constantly use his charm because he's a bit narcissistic and horny."

Damien let out a fake gasp and placed his hand over his heart, "I'm hurt."

Damien dropped his arms and grabbed Riley so quickly that it seemed like his arm should have come out of socket. He pulled Riley in front of him and quickly wrapped his arms around her waist. He bent his head down and started blowing lightly in Riley's ear.

"His charm works so well in fact that it even works on most of the Guardians." Riley said while standing there completely ignoring him.

Damien let out a growl that made Hermione's blush deepen. His hands roughly grabbed Riley's hips and brought her back against him once again.

"Yes, it does and if you were Amoretta or Dasha neither of us would be wearing clothes right now."

Harry and Hermione's eye twitched slightly at the mention of the redheaded Angel.

"Cherry." Hermione said.

"Cherry?" Damien asked pulling back slightly.

"That woman is going by Cherry right now." Hermione said simply.

Damien let out a groan and rested his head on Riley's shoulder, "I dislike that girl."

Harry raised an eyebrow and stated, "You just talked about sleeping with her?"

Damien growled again lightly and pressed himself back into the counter as he crossed his arms.

"Every time I'm around her she starts stripping. I have run away more times then I can remember."

Riley laughed and walked away from Damien. "Oh poor you."

Damien seemed to roll it all off pretty easily. In fact he didn't even look the slightest bit sexually frustrated. He walked around the island and sat down in the stool next to Hermione.

"So, what were you all doing before I so rudely interrupted?" Damien asked.

"We are having a drinking night." Riley replied simply as she started pulling out a bunch of different types of alcohol.

"Oh fun." Damien said while he sat up a little straighter.

Riley started lining up the bottles and then started pulling down glasses. That was when Hermione's brain seemed to kick in again.

"Wait, Damien?" She said while turning towards him, "So this is your house."

Damien turned and nodded with a smile. This time however, it didn't make Hermione blush.

"Well why are you back here? Don't you have charges that you need to be protecting?" Hermione asked quickly.

"Look out there Damien. These ones crave knowledge and are far too curious." Riley jokingly warned.

Damien laughed and nodded, "No, I don't have any charges at the moment. I had a gut feeling that I needed to come back here and tada, here I am and here you are. Apparently I'm supposed to help out dear Riley here."

Hermione raised her eyebrow slightly and then just had to say something, "You don't exactly look . . . frustrated right now."

Damien threw back his head and laughed, "Even though Riley here says it, I'm not horny. It's more of a tradition that I try to get Riley to sleep with me when I first see her then anything. Though I'd jump at the opportunity if it presents itself."

Damien glanced at Riley and then leaned in conspiratorially towards Hermione and put his hand around his mouth. Hermione raised her eyebrows, but leaned in anyway.

"Just between you and me," Damien whispered, "It normally works."

Hermione let out a small shocked laugh and joked, "Are all of the Guardian Angels like that?"

Damien nodded, "Yep."

Hermione's eyes widened, "Seriously?"

Damien smiled and nodded again, "Yes. It's just in varying degrees. Mainly it depends on where you lived."

Hermione's disbelieving look on her eyes made Damien laugh.

"Well Amo-Cherry," Damien said while shaking his head, "She was assigned in a very sexually repressed area where she was just used for men's enjoyment. Once she was assigned somewhere where she was in charge everything changed. Then she pretty much imploded and now she's sex crazy."

Damien nodded, "There's this kid named Ethan. He's the biggest whore out of all of us. He always got all of the princesses to protect. So he hits on any and every pretty girl that walks, but he's quiet too. So he has this whole mysterious bad boy thing going for him."

"Now I was assigned in a lot of places, but I was a slave. I had to follow what I was told to do. So, now that no one owns me, I do what I want. Sex is something that only the other person and I control. It's kind of comforting to me. Sex is a big part of the Angels. Though it's more on a control and connection basis. All of the angels like self-control and sex is just a physical way of controlling yourself. Seeing how long you can hold out, how much you can keep your own body in control."

Hermione looked a little shocked and blinked a few times. Slowly it started processing in her head.

"It makes sense." Hermione started hesitantly, "It's the connection too though. It's a physical connection to something. So I understand. I mean . . . well . . . I've never . . . well . . . you know--"

A blush once again blossomed across Hermione's cheeks. Damien started laughing again.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about!" Damien said while pushing Hermione's shoulder, "Besides it doesn't look like you're the only one."

Damien gave a pointed look behind Hermione's shoulder. She turned around and saw Harry with a small blush spread across his cheeks as he quickly turned his head away from them to look at the counter. Apparently the Harry had been listening in on their conversation. Draco looked at Harry and shook his head.

"I am no longer impressed with you Potter." He said simply.

Hermione looked up at Draco and cocked her head, "You're not a virgin Malfoy?"

Draco looked at Hermione blankly, "You're kidding me right?"

"No, I was just asking Malfoy." Hermione snapped.

"No, I am not a virgin. Is the only thing you pay attention to in school books and teachers Granger?"

"No, of course not!" Hermione defended herself, "I heard rumors about you, but I couldn't know if they were true or not."

Draco raised his eyebrows to tell Hermione to go on.

"Well I heard one that you had slept with every seventh year Slytherin. Then Lavender said that you were a Sex God. Then there was one about you sleeping with a different girl every week. You never sleep with muggleborns either." Hermione started listing.

Draco nodded slightly, "No I didn't sleep with muggleborns. Do you really think that I would sleep with every seventh year Slytherin? Millicent Bullstrode is in seventh year and I'm definitely not going to sleep with someone that ugly. If Lavender said I was a Sex God then it was her opinion based on experience. I do not sleep with a different girl every week, but I have never sleep with a girl for longer then a week."

Hermione's eyes narrowed, "You are a whore Malfoy. Not to mention an arrogant prat!"

Draco shook his head, "Don't be jealous just because I didn't sleep with you Granger."

Damien looked up to see Riley's eyes analyzing Draco. Four shot glasses appeared on the counter filled with an amber colored liquid. All exactly level. Everyone looked up to see Riley on the other side of the counter with her shot glass in front of her and a brown oddly shaped bottle on the counter next to her.

"Tequila, Riley?" Damien asked with a smile on his face.

"What? I like Tequila. I mean if you want something different I'll make it for you Damien." Riley said while licking her lips with a smirk, "I still remember what you favorite drink is. Liquid Cocaine right?"

Damien chuckled quietly and shook his head, "That was when I only wanted to get drunk Ry."

"What's Liquid Cocaine?" Hermione asked while pulling her shot towards her.

Riley laughed lightly, "Liquid Cocaine is a shot that is made with Bacardi 151, Goldschlager, and Jagermeister. It tastes horrible and gets you piss drunk really quickly."

"Oh." Hermione replied quietly.

"Merlin Granger you are sheltered." Draco stated as he downed his shot.

"Maybe she just isn't an alcoholic like some people Malfoy," Harry said simply as he slammed back his.

"Why are you butting in for her Potter?" Draco asked.

Damien raised his eyebrow at the two boys and glanced over at Riley just in time to see her throw back the shot in front of her and start pouring another as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Harry grabbed the bottle from Riley. He poured himself another and quickly drained his glass before pouring himself another.

"Or is it that your girlfriend is incapable of defending herself?"

Harry blushed slightly, but continued glaring as he downed his next shot. Hermione's eye twitched. She narrowed her eyes at Draco and threw back her shot. She quickly grabbed the bottle from Riley and poured herself another shot before placing the bottle back in its original spot.

"It was just a question Malfoy." Hermione spat picking up her shot glass, "Maybe, I'm not as sheltered as you think."

Hermione downed her second shot and cocked her head to the side while looking at Malfoy with a smirk.

"Okay hold up." Damien interrupted waving his hand slowly, "What's with all of the last name calling?"

The three stopped and turned to look at Damien.

"We don't like each other." They all said at the same time and then turned to glare at the opposing party.

Damien blinked slowly and turned to Riley, "And you haven't killed them yet?"

Riley let out an exasperated sigh and downed another shot. Damien looked at her impressed.

"Wow." He said under his breath, "How long have you had 'em?"

Riley cracked her neck and then sighed, "Her, I've had for 21 days, Harry I've had for 14 days and Draco I have had for 4."

"I'm seriously impressed Riley." Damien said nodding and downing his shot gracefully, "I would of killed 'em by now."

Riley gave a small huffed laugh and poured Damien another shot. They both raised their glasses and drained them in an impossibly graceful way.

"Okay how do you do that?" Harry asked finally as he watched the two down their shots.

Damien cocked his head at Harry and raised his eyebrow, "Do what?"

"Look so . . . smooth?" Harry stuttered out.

"It's natural." Riley and Damien both deadpanned.

It was silent in the kitchen. The crickets outside were loud and clear.

"Oh." Harry finally said and the odd atmosphere disappeared immediately. He downed his next shot.

Damien and Riley rolled their eyes at the same time and downed another shot that had been poured. It had barely been three minutes and Harry had already had five shots. Only the Guardians had noticed. Both were waiting for him to drink himself into the hospital.

"Whoa. Don't you think that you two should slow down?" Hermione inquired upon seeing them down their shots without seeing Harry down his. "How many have you had anyway?"

Riley raised four fingers as she poured another shot into her glass. Damien furrowed his eyebrows and stole the shot from in front of Riley and quickly downed it. He smirked as he replaced the glass and held up four fingers. Riley just rolled her eyes and poured Draco, Hermione, Damien and herself another shot.

"Are you serious?" Hermione asked wide-eyed. "You two are going to get alcohol poisoning!"

Damien tilted his head back and laughed, "Don't worry about us cutie."

Hermione's jaw dropped as she started grabbing Damien's arm and shaking it.

"Do you know what could happen?" Hermione demanded. "You need to take care of your body!"

"I treat mine like an amusement park." Riley scoffed as she knocked back her fifth shot.

"RILEY!" Hermione yelled.

Damien tilted his head to the side, "Come to think of it . . . I think I've died of alcohol poisoning before."

The three charges turned to him and stared at him.

"What do you mean 'died of'?" Harry asked shuddering as his latest shot slid its way down his throat. His words were slightly slurred and Damien almost could see the alcohol hit Harry's blood stream.

Damien raised an eyebrow at him, "As in the body I was in died. How did you think that the Guardians stayed young and fit enough to keep fighting?"

"So your body just dies?" Hermione asked confused, "What happens to . . . you?"

Damien laughed, "Occasionally there is a little bit of downtime, but normally we just end up in a body that is younger fairly quick."

"I don't understand." Hermione said.

Damien shook his head, "It has a lot to do with when someone's life ends."

Seeing Hermione's confused look Damien continued, "There are people that are destined to die young. The very very few that die at the right time with the right requirements ends up being the Guardians body. However the 'dead' body changes and looks like what the Guardian's body would have looked like at that age."

Hermione nodded and tilted her head while trying to grasp the concept through the quickly developing fog in her head.

"Why do you need to die so quickly and then come back at a certain age?" She asked.

"Because it all depends on when you reach your physical peak. Male's hit their peak at around 18 and start declining significantly in their late 20's. Females reach their peak anywhere between 16 to their mid-20's. Now to protect our charges our bodies need to be in the best possible state that we can get them. Of course there are a few modifications that come with being a Guardian, but it's only limited."

"Oh." Hermione giggled as she tried to register the words before giving up and going back to looking at her drink.

Damien tilted his head back and laughed at Hermione's reply. It was obvious for him to see that she was a lightweight. He shook his head just in time to see Harry grab take another shot. Damien sighed and drank his shot. He felt the slight burn on his skin and looked up to see Riley's eyes locked onto him.

The two Guardians shared a long look that spoke volumes. Damien immediately recognized the worry in Riley's eyes. It was directed towards her charges of course, but also towards Damien. It was as if she knew that he had something that he should tell her, but he was hesitating.

Damien had always despised this of Riley. Actually it happened with one of the other Guardians too. However, Riley had a habit of figuring it out without asking, whereas Ethan, the other Guardian, asked and accepted. It wasn't like Damien was hiding it. In fact he was going to tell Riley as soon as they were alone. He just had to figure out how to word it properly. After he figured that out it would be a piece of cake. Maybe.

Also in the look was a plead. A definite begging of help, which was quite uncommon of the blonde girl. That was what shocked Damien the most. The Guardians all had their pride. Ethan surprisingly had the most surprisingly, but Riley was a close second. Not once had she asked for the help of anyone. The difference between her and Ethan was that she would accept it although on a very minimal level, while Ethan would decline the offer. It bothered Damien because for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why she would need help. There was still a small part of him that didn't want to find out.

Harry had just downed his . . . actually he couldn't remember what number shot that was. Trying to look around and keep everything in focus.

"So what are you here to help us with Damien?" Harry asked as his words came out oddly.

Damien looked at Riley and raised his eyebrow. She nodded at him subtly. Damien nodded and turned to look at Harry.

"I am here to help you three train." Damien said simply.

"Train?" All of them asked at the same time.

Damien nodded his head, "You're going straight into the middle of a war. You are going to fight people that are going to use magic that you haven't even dreamed of, people that have killed for a living, people that enjoy it. Do you really think that you can just walk out there and expect to win, let alone survive?"

Harry raised his eyebrow obviously getting drunker by the second as his shots caught up with him and he laughed, "What am I . . . are you going . . . teach me?"

Damien had this almost invisible shift in his eyes as he raised his eyebrow.

"You know what? Why don't we wait till tomorrow and then you'll see?" Damien said simply.

Harry laughed and nodded and threw back his next shot and almost fell off of the chair. Riley rolled her eyes and pulled the shot glass away from him. She knew exactly why Harry had gotten drunk. He had just turned on his friends and family. At least that was how he was looking at it. His magic was cold, erratic; it was all crashing in towards his body. It had taken on a physical form to Riley's gold eyes. She wanted so badly to help him, but how do you help a person from feeling horrible about choosing one person over another. So, she had let Harry drink himself silly. Let Harry drown his misery with alcohol like so many others had before him. Luckily, Harry didn't have an addictive personality. He was very much in control of what he wanted to do.

Yet, even underneath Harry's drunken exterior. He was in pain. The pain was so bad that it was drowning him. There was nothing that anyone could do or say that would make his choice all right. He didn't desert the Order though. He was still going to fight with them. He just wished that he could have made that more clear.

"Well I think I'm gonna head in for the night." Damien said as he stepped away from his seat, "I'll see you all in the morning."

Damien seemed to disappear from the kitchen leaving the original four left.

It was then that Draco decided to get up. He stretched lightly before nodding to everyone.

"I think I am going to go get some rest too." Draco said, "After all getting the shit kicked out of you is tiring."

Riley smiled at him as her eyes followed him out of the kitchen, "Night."

Draco nodded, "G'night."

"Night Malfoy!" Hermione called after him.

Draco's chuckle could be heard as he called back, "Night Granger."

Riley smiled slightly at the teasing tones, but at least it was polite by both of them.

Riley nodded at Harry and Hermione.

"You should probably head up too you guys. It has been a long couple of days." Riley stated.

Hermione nodded and giggled lightly as stood up unsteadily before regaining her balance. She helped pull Harry off of his stool and almost buckled under his weight.

"I'm fine." He slurred, "I don't need help."

Hermione giggled and then proceeded to take him up to bed.

"Sleep well you two." Riley said as they continued to make their way up to the bedrooms.

* * *

Hermione dragged Harry up the stairs and finally got him to the room that he was staying in. Harry fell straight onto the bed and rolled to look up at Hermione causing her to let out a silly drunken giggle. Harry's emerald eyes seemed to cloud as he looked up at her.

"They hate me." Harry said miserably.

"Don't be silly, everyone loves you Harry!" Hermione said as she tumbled into a sitting position on Harry's bed.

"I deserted them. How can the-they love me?" He hiccupped.

Hermione's face turned into such a childish look of sympathy that she laid down and gave him a hug. Harry wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a tight squeeze.

"Everyone loves you Harry." Hermione said firmly even in her drunken state.

"Do you love me Mione?" Harry asked with his eyes sparkling.

Hermione pushed herself up lightly so that she was looking down at Harry and giggled again.

"Of course I love you silly! I love you so much. You're my best friend." Hermione stated as she started nodding her head multiple times.

"I love you too Mione." Harry said with a giggle.

"Really?" She asked back shocked.

"Yup." Harry said with a grin.

With his arms still wrapped around Hermione's waist he gently rolled over so that she was on the mattress underneath him. Both of them smiled the goofiest smiles.

"And you know what I'm going to do about it?" Harry asked.

"What?" Hermione's grin replied.

"I'm going to kiss you." Harry said.

With that he leaned his head down and pressed his mouth lightly to Hermione's. She let out a little giggle and started to kiss him back. Their lips moved together while Hermione snaked her arms around Harry's neck. Harry gently pulled at Hermione's full lower lip before softly brushing it with his tongue. Hermione smiled more into the kiss and opened her mouth slightly.

In Harry's mind he though about the look on Lupin's face when he said that he was leaving. He saw the utter sadness and disappointment that had shown through; that had duplicated itself on every one of the Order's faces. It was that look that broke Harry's heart. He hadn't wanted to hurt anyone. He didn't mean to. The sight of each face swirled in Harry's mind even as he kissed the beautiful girl beneath him. He decided right then and there. That he wouldn't hurt anyone like that again. He sighed into the kiss, as his mind seemed to clear, as much as it could in his inebriated state, with the vow and he could concentrate on kissing Hermione. He felt his entire body relax as his breathing started to even out.

They continued to kiss each other. Hermione swore it must have been hours, but their kisses seemed even more leisurely as they went on until time seemed to freeze. Hermione opened her eyes and looked up at the face that was pressed against hers. A confused look spread across her face as she looked around. She shifted up slightly so that Harry's head fell onto her neck. Hermione tilted her head lightly. Harry's limp body slid off of Hermione and rolled over to the other side as he pulled the pillow closer to his body. It was only seconds before he started snoring. Hermione started giggling at the sound.

"Silly, you fell asleep on me." Hermione giggled as she lowered herself back onto the bed, "I guess it can't be helped. Might as well get some sleep too."

Even though the bushy haired girl hadn't felt tired, the moment her head hit the pillow and her eyes closed she was out for the night. Not being aware of the fact that she had just snogged her best friend.

* * *

It had been a few hours since everyone had come up to bed. Damien still was pacing around the room, while at the same time trying to stay silent. He glanced over at his bed and his gaze changed subtly until he snapped out of it and started pacing again. Damien was positive that Riley would be in her room by now. He hoped that she wasn't asleep, but he didn't want to go over just yet. Even though the longer that he waited the more likely Riley would be asleep. He could tell that she was confused. At least that is what he would label her emotion, though there was a lot of rage and pain swirling around her too. He just didn't want to be the escape for those emotions, but he needed to talk to her.

That was it he needed to talk to her. He opened the door and silently slipped out without making a sound. He quietly padded down the hall past the three rooms that Riley had lent to her charges. He slowly reached the door that was at the end of the hall and paused for just a moment. He breathed out in order to get ready to knock on the door, but he never got that far. No, he never got that far because Riley opened the door and looked up at him with her liquid gold eyes. Damien saw everything in her eyes that were so like his own. He saw the guilt, the rage, the pain, and the loneliness. She gave him the same look of desperation that he had given to her long ago a few years after they had actually become friends. He no longer wanted to talk. He wanted to do the same that she had done for him. Damien moved quickly as he pushed Riley against the wall of her bedroom and crushed his lips against hers. There wasn't any patience or sweetness in their kiss as both of their tongues clashed. There was only fierceness and passion.

Damien's hand slid under Riley's shirt quickly bringing it over her head. They broke their kiss for just long enough before their mouths reunited. Riley's wasn't as controlled and simply ripped his shirt off with one strong jerk of her arm. Damien didn't mind. He didn't mind because she needed this and in a way he did too. He needed her to be alright with her thoughts about her charges. She needed to be able to believe that Harry would be able to learn what he needed to within the amount of time they had. Damien needed a disconnect of her brain and body for that to happen. This was the best way. One of Riley's arms snaked around his neck pulling him closer while her other hand kept dancing around his body. Damien had both of his hands in Riley's back pocket pushing her closer towards him. He could talk to her in the morning. Riley moved her hands to both of his shoulders. With a quick move Riley pulled her body up Damien's and wrapped her legs around his waist. The two continued assaulting each other's mouths both fighting without the goal of conquering.

He could hear her unsaid words begging in the air. He could hear the doubt in the silent words. _"Make me believe that I am good enough to help them." _Was practically being screamed inside his head. _"Make me strong enough to teach him what he needs to know."_

Her arm reached out and grabbed the door jam. Once again she pulled and sent Damien into the wall opposite while she pushed him against the hard surface. He let out an almost ferrel growl and wrapped his arms tightly around Riley. With a quick jerk he lifted her higher and started to kiss all of the exposed skin that he could reach. He pulled one of his arms away from her and quickly shut the door.

* * *

**Once again I had to repost this chapter. It got deleted. I couldn't find the original so I had to rewrite it from the draft. A few things are different, but not too much. SORRY!**

**So, what did Damien need to talk to Riley about? What's he so nervous about? Did he really come back to help? What are Hermione and Harry going to think when they wake up? **

**Haha, there's your next chapter! Definitely different from the others. Before any of you send me flames about the pointless physicality . . . it's not. I promise there is a point to all of it. You just don't get to know yet. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please give me reviews! It encourages me to write more! Even the flames if they have a point.**

**Have an awesome weekend!**


	12. Chapter 12: Heart Rate

Yes. I'm sorry again. Please Please forgive me, but this chapter was just really painful to write. Anyways, I hope that you like it.

**No song for this one. Sorry.

* * *

**Damien sat back against the headboard

Damien sat back against the headboard. A smirk graced his face as he watched long strong arms pull the white tank top over her completely exposed dragon tattoo before it was hidden from his view. Damien stretched his arms above his head causing the sheets to pool lower around his hips. He winced slightly as he realized how sore his abs, and back were.

"Dang, Riley. You always have to make me feel it in the morning." He said still watching her get dressed in front of him.

Riley chuckled dryly, "You could use the workout."

Damien raised his eyebrow as he watched Riley drag skimpy panties up her legs with her back still turned to him.

"Do my ears deceive me?" Damien asked, "Are you telling me that my physique wasn't up to par Ms. Brooks? Or that you didn't enjoy yourself."

Riley laughed lightly and walked over to the bed. She placed her arms on either side of Damien and leaned in so that she was close to his face. Her gold eyes flickered down to his mouth. Damien watched as Riley's tongue darted out and licked her lips before her award-winning smile reappeared.

"Yes, Damien. That is exactly what I am saying." Riley said in a low voice.

Damien's smirk widened, "Well then, I guess we'll just have to remedy that won't we?"

Damien's roughly grabbed the back of Riley's neck and pulled her in for a fierce kiss. A few seconds later Riley lightly bit Damien's lower lip and pulled on it as she pulled away before letting it go. Riley smiled and her eyes lightened.

She pushed herself off of the bed and quickly pulled on the pants that she had pulled out of the closet. When she turned back to look at Damien all of the joking had left her eyes and a sincere grateful look.

"Thank you Damien." Riley said simply.

Damien's smile was true as he nodded his head. His eyes still held the playful gleam in his eyes though.

"It was a bit of a put out for me," Damien said with his grin, "but . . . seeing as it's you, I guess it's alright."

Riley laughed and shook her head as she headed towards the door.

"You never fail to annoy me." Riley said with a joking laugh, "Get up and get the training room set up. You and me are gonna have to help Harry and Hermione."

Damien's eyes narrowed a bit. There was something that was missing from the picture.

"Harry and Hermione? What about the other one?" Damien asked.

Riley sighed as she pressed her hand against the door. Damien could see the tenseness in her back. He stood up with the sheets tied around his waist and walked over to Riley.

"There's something not right there Damien." Riley said quietly.

Damien nodded even though Riley's back was turned towards him. He knew she could feel it.

"I agree with you." He said softly.

"I've been horrible to my charges Damien." Riley started. "The main priority is to keep them safe as it always has been, but I've been giving Draco too much benefit of the doubt. He needs to answer for what he's done. "

"And how are we going to do that?" Damien asked.

Riley shook her head, "We're not going to do anything. Nobody answers to us."

The two fell silent again and Damien placed his hand on Riley's shoulder.

"They answer to a savior." Damien said, "You're going to let Harry have a go at him.

Riley opened the door. "Yes."

Damien nodded again and sighed, "If you let him, Harry will rip that kid to shreds."

Riley nodded back still staring at the door, "Most likely."

Riley twisted the doorknob and pulled the door open. It was quiet between the two as Riley stepped out into the hallway and started closing the door.

"Are you alright with that?" Damien questioned her quietly.

The door continued closing. One quiet and simple word slipped past Riley's lips.

"Yes."

The door closed without a sound.

* * *

The light tapping on his door immediately stilled Draco from putting on his shirt. He looked over and checked the clock that sat next to the bed. It's red LED lights read 6:01. Who else besides him was up at this hour? Especially after last night with how much everyone else had drank. And why would they be knocking on his door?

"Hey. Let me in." Her voice rang quietly in the room.

Draco sighed and went over to open the door. Riley stood there leaning against the door jam. He quickly glanced her over. She still had perfect posture even in leaning. Her blonde hair was slightly messy and fell over her shoulders onto the white tank top that she was wearing. He raised his eyebrow as he stepped aside to let her into the room. As soon as she was fully in he shut the door quietly figuring that everyone else was still asleep.

"We need to talk." She said softly offering a sympathetic smile.

"Ah." He said

Riley nodded before walking over to the bed and sitting cross-legged in the middle of it. She looked back at the blonde and patted the spot next to her. He sighed and lied down on the bed next to her with his feet still on the floor. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms behind his head as a pillow. Neither of them spoke but just sat there in silence. Riley shifted her arms back so that she was leaning and had a better view of Draco's face.

"What happened with the Order?" Riley asked.

Draco remained silent. He didn't want to talk about it.

"They wanted me to rejoin the Dark Lord and work as a spy." Draco said. "I said no. I told them that I would fight with them, but apparently that wasn't enough."

"Alright then." Riley replied.

Riley got off the bed and walked silently over to the door.

"Is something going on." He questioned as she reached the door.

"No." Riley said simply. "Things have just changed a little."

Riley called back over her shoulder.

"Be downstairs in half an hour alright Draco?" She asked.

Draco nodded, "Yeah."

Riley stepped out of the room and left Draco there by himself. He silently wondered what had changed.

* * *

Riley walked into the kitchen. The bright numbers on the stainless steel glowed out 6:08. The light in the kitchen was already on and easily illuminated her two charges sitting on stools at the island. There was one stool in between them. Riley raised her eyebrow as she walked to the other side of the island and looked at them. Harry had both of his arms on the table with his fingers interlaced in front of his mouth while he kept his eyes locked straight foreword. Hermione on the other hand had both of her hands folded in her lap and was staring at the counter top with an intensity that was hard to believe. There was one trait that was copied onto both of their faces. There was an identical blush that stained both of their cheeks.

Riley's raised her eyebrow even further.

"Is everything alright?" Riley asked slightly wary.

"Fine." They both clipped out at the same time.

The blushes on both of their faces darkened and started to spread to their ears. Riley's other eyebrow joined her first.

"All right then." Riley said as she turned her back on the two of them and started to go about making breakfast.

Harry's eyes followed Riley move around the kitchen as she prepared breakfast for them. His mind kept wandering back to his kiss with Hermione last night. It was making him question things. One answer was apparent though. Hermione is a good kisser. Even the thought made his blush darken. She is his best girl friend though. Well, now she is his best friend in general. Then again, don't people say that the person that you are in a relationship with should be your best friend? Harry sighed. Did he really like her like that? His eyes stayed glued on Riley. He watched as her eye twitched. He raised his eyebrow momentarily before going back to his thinking. Did he, Harry Potter, like her, Hermione Granger, in that way? Harry glanced over at Hermione and smiled slightly at the blush that spread across her face. He watched as she leaned foreword slightly causing the gray shirt that she was wearing to rise up and expose her lower back. Right there, just above the tops of her pants Harry caught a glimpse of two impossibly skinny straps that met at a small triangle in the middle of the two dimples of her lower back. Harry's eyes widened and his blush deepened. He knew she owned thongs from when she gave him clothes to take to Riley, he just didn't know she wore them. Harry glanced back and a small stupid smile spread across his face even as the little voice in his head was reprimanding him. Harry pulled his eyes off of Hermione and watched as Riley's twitch started to get a little more intense as she continued chopping up the vegetables.

Hermione stared at the counter top. Her embarrassing blush spread across her nose. She was still thinking about Harry. She couldn't believe that she had kissed him! She kept glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes. He had a small smirk on his lips even though there was a touch of pink gracing his strong cheekbones. His green eyes sparkled behind his glasses, but Hermione's eyes kept going back to his lips. She shook her head slightly when she realized she was staring. She was positive that her blush couldn't get any darker by this point. Instead her eyes traveled to Harry's arms. Thankfully his body didn't match his name. He wasn't hairy at all. His fingers were interlocked in front of his jaw and his arms were slightly tensed. Hermione could see the definition in all of the muscles down his forearms and even up to his biceps. Hermione knew that those would be from playing Quidditch. She sighed, he has nice arms. She blushed a little darker.

The knife slammed down onto the cutting board causing Harry and Hermione to jump in their seats. They both looked up to see Riley throwing the vegetables into the pan in front of her with a little more force then necessary. Harry raised an eyebrow at her knowing that she would see it.

"Freaking magic." Riley mumbled under her breath.

Harry's eyes widened. _"If you can feel magic when someone is angry?" "Then you can feel magic when they're happy?"_ Riley had her head bent down from the two of them. Her guard would be up, which meant that she had been bombarded by both of their emotions through their magic. Harry didn't know whether to apologize or laugh. He decided to laugh because in some ways he swore it was karma. His deep chuckle erupted out of his lips and he vaguely caught Hermione's bright red blush brighten.

A small smile spread across Riley's lips and she chuckled lightly before returning to cutting the veggies.

"Jerk." She said quietly with a smile on her face.

It was 6:45 when Damien came running into the kitchen with a grin on his face and his arms hugging something to his chest. Even under his wide grin there was a little bit of worry, but he was going to hide that as much as possible.

He slid to a stop in between Hermione and Harry and looked up at Riley who was looking down at the pot in front of her as something strange continued cooking.

"Everything is set up Riley and this is Bly!"

Damien thrust his arms out to show off who Bly was. As soon as the name had past Damien's lips Riley's head jerked up to see what Damien was showing her. Her golden eyes got wide and her entire body jerked back.

"MERLIN!" Riley yelled.

It seemed like slow motion as Riley started falling backwards. Harry was shocked he had never seen Riley fall. Riley finally made contact with the ground and looked up at what was in Damien's arms. Harry raised his eyebrow at Riley and turned to Damien. There hanging in Damien's large hands was the blackest puppy that Harry had ever seen. Damien's hands had wrapped around the puppies chest making its tiny little front legs stick out and it's belly seem even rounder then normal. It had the brightest gray eyes that Harry had ever seen. His breathe had caught in his throat, he had thought that the puppy in Damien's hands had been a miniature Snuffles. Harry finally breathed out. This puppy wasn't Sirius.

"Bly is a wolf." Damien started talking incredibly fast once he realized that Riley was still too shocked to move, "There were these kids that had killed his mother and they were hurting him and so I couldn't take it so I saved him. Please don't be mad Riley because he's so cute and it wasn't right to just leave him there with those horrible kids and you know that he isn't bad. I know you don't like dogs, but look at him. He's just so adorable and he's got these beautiful gray eyes and he's solid black and look at how fluffy his tail is. He's just a puppy!"

Damien had forgotten how to speak English properly, seeing as all of his sentences ran together.

"This?! This is what you needed to talk to me about?!" Riley gasped out from her spot on the ground.

Damien pulled Bly back into his arms and started cuddling the tiny wolf. He nodded his face into Bly's fur. Riley continued breathing slightly hard.

"And . . . this is how you choose to tell me?" Riley asked, "By giving me a heart attack."

Damien nodded his head again, "I didn't want you to get angry."

Riley closed her eyes and pushed herself back against the cabinets behind her and leaned against them. Harry watched as she tried to even out her breathing as she placed a hand on her chest. Harry turned his gaze to Damien and raised his eyebrow. Damien responded to the look and smiled.

"She was chased and eaten by a pack of dogs before." Damien said simply.

"Oh." Harry said in a slightly strained voice.

He decided fairly quickly. He did not want to ever be eaten.

Riley had picked herself up off of the floor and was once again stirring whatever was cooking in the pan. She seemed completely back to normal, but Harry noticed the slight tension in the arm that was pushed against the counter. Harry turned and smiled at the pup. Damien saw Harry looking at Bly and smiled lightly. Slowly an idea started to form in Damien's head as a smile spread across his face. Damien held his arms out to Harry. Harry looked up in confusion, but Damien still smiled.

"Here. Hold him for a while." Damien said gently.

Harry carefully grabbed the small wolf from Damien's arms and sat Bly in his lap. The little pup wasn't as little as Harry had originally though. Harry was positive that Bly weighed at least 30 pounds. The puppy's eyes were at the same level that Harry's were. Those shockingly gray eyes looked through Harry's. As Harry stared into the little puppies eyes he swore he could see silver streaks all around his pupil. More then that though it seemed like the puppy was trying to say something to Harry. The puppy raised one of his paws and batted Harry's cheek lightly. Harry started laughing lightly and grabbed the little puppy's paw and held it against his cheek. The puppy's jaws slowly opened into a smile. Harry smiled and started scratching the little wolf.

Damien laughed, "That decides it."

Harry looked up at Damien and tilted his head.

"Bly is yours." Damien said simply as he crossed his arms.

Harry's eyes widened.

"What?" Harry said quickly.

"He is yours." Damien repeated.

Harry started shaking his head, "No-no, I can't take care of a wolf."

Damien started laughing and shook his head, "It doesn't matter. He chose you. As an alpha Bly will not let anyone lead him, but he's chosen you to be his equal."

"But-" Harry started as he looked at the pup in his lap.

"Don't argue with him Harry." Riley said with out looking up, "You won't win. The wolf's made his choice."

Harry looked up and was about to say something back, but fell silent. He let out a sigh knowing that he wasn't going to get anywhere. The little wolf in his lap turned his head to the side. Harry followed the little pup's sight and saw Hermione looking straight back at the little wolf. Harry raised his eyebrow.

"Can I pet him?" She asked quietly.

Harry turned and looked at Damien who just shrugged in return. Harry nodded at Hermione and watched as the pup and Hermione just looked at each other. Hermione slowly reached out her hand to let Bly sniff her. Bly glanced down at her hand before looking straight back up into Hermione's eyes. His nostrils didn't even flare as a sign that he was sniffing her from afar. With a small hesitant sigh she raised her fingers and started lightly brushing Bly's head. His eyes never left Hermione's. Hermione smiled. After a few more seconds though the little puppy leaned away from Hermione and pulled his head out from under her hand. Apparently the puppy didn't like being pet for the most part.

Harry chuckled lightly, which cause Bly to turn to look at him. Harry started scratching Bly behind the ears again and the little wolf pup rubbed his head against Harry's hand. Apparently the only person that Bly liked to pet him was Harry.

"Bly is from a special wolf pack. A long time ago a group of young girls from the Shoshone tribe had to be left behind in hiding as the tribe had to pack up and move quickly due to a threat from one of the neighboring tribes. When the girls came out of hiding and went in search of the tribe, they came upon an injured wolf. After nursing the wolf back to health and realizing that he seemed far more intelligent then most creatures they decided to go with the wolf to his pack. They became adopted by the entire pack of wolves.

"The wolves protected the girls from danger many times as they tried to track the tribe in order to reunite the girls with their families. The warrior fathers, upon returning to find the girls, saw the wolves surrounding their daughters from a distance. Not understanding that the wolves were actually protecting their daughters, they slew them one and all, all except the original injured wolf, the alpha of the pack. When the girls informed the tribe of their grave mistake the shaman felt it was his responsibility to atone for the tribes crime. The Shoshone shaman preformed his magic on the wolf and promised three things. That the wolf's intelligence would grow and pass on to every member of his pack. That all of the pup's that were sired by him and the pup's sired by his pup's would grow to be stronger then other wolves and quicker too. Finally, that any of those wolves could live as long as they chose to. Bly is one of the last left from the pack besides the old wolf himself." Damien told Harry.

"Bly's only two months old right now, but he will be big enough to be considered an adult in three more months."

Harry looked straight into the gray eyes of the puppy that was staring right back.

"I guess you're special too," Harry said.

He affectionately ruffled the fur on the top of Bly's head. Bly's paw came up almost immediately and brushed it back in the right direction before looking back up at Harry. Harry laughed as he could almost see Bly's eyebrow lifting at him.

Draco chose that moment to walk into the kitchen and take a look around before rolling his eyes. Riley quickly lay out five plates of breakfast food on the kitchen table.

"Time for breakfast."

* * *

Harry, Hermione, and Draco all stood by the door in awe of the room that was in front of them. It was gigantic. It could easily hold a full size basketball court. The walls had a huge selection of weapons on them. They were in top condition too. Every single piece of metal was clean and devoid of any fingerprints. The gleaming silver and gold reflected the light all around the room. The wood all looked warm and smooth. There were no splinters in sight and not one part of it was discolored from oil. Even the wood on the floor was immaculate. The bamboo strips had a perfect golden color that continued all the way through the room and was only broken up by the large black mats that were laid on the floor. On top of the mats appeared to be different sorts of equipment. Things that none of them had ever seen before. There were two ropes that hung down from the back corner of the room. They connected to the ceiling that was at least 30 feet high.

Riley and Damien stood off to the side on the raised portion of the room and watched as Harry, Hermione, and Draco all took in the expansive training room. Riley's arms were crossed lightly over her chest as she stood up straight. Damien stood slightly behind her with his head cocked to one side. They watched silently as Draco's eyes turned towards the swords that rested along the wall. How Harry stepped into the room slowly and was followed closely by the small wolf that stayed no more then a foot away from him. Or how Hermione seemed to be more interested in the equipment that rested on the far side of the room.

"This is the training room." Riley said from her position on the raised floor.

Her three charges turned their attention to her. They took in her upright posture. The glowing color of her gold eyes seemed intense even from the distance. Her lightly tanned arms crossed underneath her chest. It was obvious that the focus was meant to be on her for these few moments.

"You might not understand how or why you are going to use this room, but you will." Riley continued without missing a beat.

"Right now, you basically don't know how to use your magic." Riley said, "That's why you need to yell your spells. Why they are less then half as effective as they should be. Your body doesn't know how to use it."

The Guardian had their undivided attention. Harry's face was set. Riley had finally gotten serious. He wasn't going to waste any time on goofing around. His jaw was tight. His eyes were focused and he knew that he was going to have to give his all. The three charges nodded their heads to show their understanding, their understanding of the idea, but not the application. The explanation would be confusing without the experience. A demonstration would only serve to scare them. It would make them hesitant. Any hesitance would prevent them from achieving what they needed to. It was best to deal with the outcome once it happened rather then fill a person's mind with needless thoughts. Because when left to one's own devices thoughts develop into doubts, doubts into worries, worries into fears, and fears would not help them now.

Damien stepped foreword and stepped down off of the raised floor.

"You're magic will get stronger. That is not even a question. And most likely you will not get to the level that we are talking about," Damien stopped walking towards them and stood straight, "But if you do . . . there are changes that are going to happen that you won't be able to undo some of them you might not like. It's the sacrifice you make for gaining that control, for gaining that power."

Damien looked over to the weapons that lined the wall.

"We're not going to tell you what they are." Riley said drawing their attention back to her, "Not because we want to keep information from you, but because if you know you won't commit to what you need to do. If that happens, then we're just wasting our time."

The three charges stood silently as they thought about what the two Guardians had told them. Each of them had different looks on their faces, but Riley was only focused on one. Her eyes stayed locked onto his emerald green ones even though he wasn't looking at her. She knew that he was warring with himself on the lack of information. He didn't like not being told. He didn't like having to trust anyone anymore. She needed to figure out how to help give him what he needed without making him think too much about it.

"You already know me. Part of my magic is angle, and part is guardian. The rest is me with what we are trying to give you." Riley said simply, "The personality is not something that comes with the changes so don't worry about that."

Harry let out a small chuckle and nodded. He would do it. He wasn't worried about any changes. He needed to be stronger to defeat Voldemort and he would do anything to get there. So, he nodded his head. He nodded his head and prayed to whatever he could that he hadn't just signed over his humanity. He didn't even notice that Hermione and Draco had followed suit.

"Good." Riley said and turned to walk towards the back end of the room.

Damien nodded at the three charges. "Since there are three of you and only two of us the split is going to be uneven."

"Harry you're with me." Riley called from a little less then half way down the room.

Harry glanced back at Hermione and then jogged to catch up with Riley, Bly trotting along beside him dutifully. Hermione almost reached out and caught Harry's arm so that she wouldn't be left with Malfoy, but she restrained herself. Barely. In stead she turned to face Damien and steeled her resolve. She needed to be strong to fight next to Harry. Even if the mere thought of Harry brought a bright blush to her face for the moment.

As soon as Harry and Riley crossed the midway point of the room, Riley flicked her wand and Harry saw the silencing charm take affect and basically divide the room in two. Harry raised his eyebrow at Riley in question. All she did was nod her head in acknowledgement. They both kept walking. This end of the room seemed just as warm. There was an area with punching bags, gloves, wraps, and target pads. This side of the room was focused on fighting. On the one side was a large black mat that was laid down with absolutely nothing on it. Apparently this was where they were headed.

Once they stepped onto the mat Riley changed directions and headed straight for the corner. Harry followed silently behind and when she sat down he sat down across from her. Bly stayed a few feet away and sat down to watch the Guardian and her charge.

"The reason that you are with me Harry is that you already have a little bit of an advantage over the other two." Riley started as she brushed her hair out of her face, "I also know that you hate doing anything without more knowledge. So, I am going to give you a bit more of an explanation than I gave the other two."

Harry let out a relieved breath. He hated being kept in the dark.

"Remember what it felt like when you tried to feel my magic that morning a while back?"

Harry nodded his head, "Yes, I also felt your magic when we were with the Order the last time."

Riley licked her lips, "Exactly. Now I have tried to teach the other Guardians how to do that and not one of them has succeeded and they practiced for months. Yet, you did something that they couldn't in moments. Which means that you have an advantage. Because you are already aware of the magic around you, it will be easier for you to learn how to work with it. At least that's the theory."

Harry nodded his head again, happy to finally hear some good news.

"I still do not really understand how more magic will help me. I mean I can cast spells all day long and the magic never goes away." Harry said.

Riley nodded, "You are right. Your magic never leaves. Your body, however will get tired."

Riley put her hands palms up in front of her and tilted her head.

"Hmm . . . I am trying to think of how to put this into words that will make sense." Riley said, "Here, throw a punch right now, just in the air like you want to hit the invisible person in front of you."

Harry raised his eyebrow but did as Riley had asked. With his hand curled into a fist he pulled his arm back and then shot it foreword at his imaginary opponent. He shrugged slightly and looked at Riley questioningly. Riley just nodded and grabbed Harry's hand and curled it into a fist again.

"Alright cock your arm back." Riley instructed.

Harry pulled his arm back and held it there. Riley scooted foreword so her knees touched Harry's. Riley reached out and pressed her palm against Harry's fist.

"Alright, throw your punch."

Harry shook his head and tried to throw his punch. Riley let her arm be pushed back, but there was still the resistance making Harry's punch less then effective. They both dropped their hands to their sides. Riley rolled her shoulders lightly.

"Okay. If we think of your arm as your will, your fist as the magic you have, and my hand as your body, your body is doing the same thing that my hand did. It is fighting the magic. Eventually your body gets tired, but your mind gets tired because it is fighting your body as well." Riley stated as she reached out and grabbed Harry's hand again and rolled it into a fist, "The first thing that we need to do-"

Riley pushed Harry's arm back so that he would be ready to punch.

"-is get your body-" Riley's hand tightened around Harry's fist, "-to help your magic."

At that Riley jerked her arm backwards while pulling Harry's fist along with it. Harry processed her words while picturing everything that they had been doing for the past few moments. He was surprised that he understood any of that to begin with, but he had to admit that it made sense. Harry brought his focus back onto Riley.

"Alright." He said, the determination clear in his voice, "How do we do that?"

Riley smiled and Harry got the distinct feeling that what was coming wouldn't be pleasant.

"First, we get your heart rate up."

* * *

There you go. A new chapter. It is a bit of a transition chapter, so I hope that you don't all hate me. Anyways please review and let me know what you all think. Hope that you all are having a fabulous weekend!


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